It is legal and routine for the government to lie to the public, certainly not criminal. It is also legal and normal for the government to manipulate the public by use of propaganda. If that isn't meddling in an election, I don't know what is.
What is playing out in real life is politics. Columbo is about crime.
Government is inherently dishonest. The reason the government keeps secrets from the public, is that if the public knew the truth, the people would revolt.
Do you really feel that what we have witnessed so far are not crimes by employees of our government?