Nunes claims some Trump transition messages were intercepted

Source: Politico | March 22, 2017 | Austin Wright

The move gave cover to the White House but was rebuked by top Democrats.

House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes declared Wednesday that members of Donald Trump’s transition team, possibly including Trump himself, were under inadvertent surveillance following November’s presidential election.

The White House and Trump’s allies immediately seized on the statement as vindication of the president’s much-maligned claim that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower phones — even though Nunes himself said that’s not what his new information shows.

Democrats, meanwhile, cried foul.

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the intelligence panel, cast doubt on Nunes’ claims in a fiery statement and blasted the chairman for not first sharing the information with him or other committee members.

Schiff also slammed Nunes for briefing the White House on Wednesday afternoon given that the Intelligence Committee is in the middle of an investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, including possible collusion with the Trump team.

“The chairman will need to decide whether he is the chairman of an independent investigation into conduct which includes allegations of potential coordination between the Trump campaign and the Russians, or he is going to act as a surrogate of the White House, because he cannot do both,” Schiff said at a news conference Wednesday.

“And unfortunately,” he added, “I think the actions of today throw great doubt into the ability of both the chairman and the committee to conduct the investigation the way it ought to be conducted.”

Nunes set off the firestorm with a news conference earlier in the day in which he described the surveillance of Trump aides through what’s called “incidental collection,” something he noted was routine and legal. Such collection can occur when a person inside the United State communicates with a foreign target of U.S. surveillance. In such cases, the identities of U.S. citizens are supposed to be shielded — but can be “unmasked” by intelligence officials under certain circumstances.

……

Tagged: , , , ,

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • Discussion
  • Consistent March 22, 2017 at 10:09 pm #14592

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 10:10 pm #14593

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 10:24 pm #14595

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 10:55 pm #14598

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 10:57 pm #14599

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 10:59 pm #14600

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 11:03 pm #14601

    Consistent March 22, 2017 at 11:15 pm #14603

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.