U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to impanel a grand jury to examine whether officials in former President Barack Obama’s administration falsified or mischaracterized intelligence about Russian meddling in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the matter. Prosecutors have been told to begin presenting evidence within weeks, although the Justice Department has not identified specific targets. In a separate action, the department has convened a grand jury in Albany and served subpoenas on New York Attorney General Letitia James for documents tied to the civil-fraud lawsuit that produced a US$355 million judgment against President Donald Trump and to her unrelated case against the National Rifle Association. Investigators are reviewing whether those suits violated the civil rights of Trump or other defendants, the sources said. Bondi has also named former Washington, D.C., interim U.S. attorney Ed Martin as special prosecutor to investigate mortgage-fraud allegations involving both James and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff. Under the appointment, a Virginia grand jury will review claims against James, while a Maryland panel will assess accusations that Schiff misrepresented his residency on loan documents. James and Schiff deny wrongdoing and describe the inquiries as politically motivated. The Justice Department declined to comment. The new investigations expand a widening effort by the Trump administration’s Justice Department to scrutinize officials who have pursued legal or investigative action against the president and his allies.