He didn’t come out and say exactly that, but it’s what he didn’t say that matters.
Devin Nunes has been brushing off all the personal attacks on him as he continues his investigation into the Trump surveillance scandal. I watched the bombshell go off yesterday on Fox News:
The U.S. intelligence official who “unmasked,” or exposed, the names of multiple private citizens affiliated with the Trump team is someone “very well known, very high up, very senior in the intelligence world,” a source told Fox News on Friday.
Intelligence and House sources with direct knowledge of the disclosure of classified names told Fox News that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., now knows who is responsible — and that person is not in the FBI.
For a private citizen to be “unmasked,” or named, in an intelligence report is extremely rare. Typically, the American is a suspect in a crime, is in danger or has to be named to explain the context of the report.
“The main issue in this case, is not only the unmasking of these names of private citizens, but the spreading of these names for political purposes that have nothing to do with national security or an investigation into Russia’s interference in the U.S. election,” a congressional source close to the investigation told Fox News.
The spying began before Trump was the nominee. Here is a series of Tweets from Adam Housley, courtesy of The Right Scoop:
And the worst part
In addition, citizens affiliated with Trump’s team who were unmasked were not associated with any intelligence about Russia or other foreign intelligence, sources confirmed. The initial unmasking led to other surveillance, which led to other private citizens being wrongly unmasked, sources said.
“Unmasking is not unprecedented, but unmasking for political purposes … specifically of Trump transition team members … is highly suspect and questionable,” an intelligence source told Fox News. “Opposition by some in the intelligence agencies who were very connected to the Obama and Clinton teams was strong. After Trump was elected, they decided they were going to ruin his presidency by picking them off one by one.”
Now for some very interesting coincidences. There is a fascinating nexus in these events. First, we have Evelyn Farkas, who admitted collecting data on Trump:
In an appearance on MSNBC earlier this month, Farkas told Mika Brezinski about her role in the efforts to collect intelligence on Trump’s team, and their alleged ties with Russia, in the Obama adminstration’s final days.
“I was urging my former colleagues and, frankly speaking, the people on the Hill… get as much information as you can,” Farkas said, adding that her big fear was “if [Trump staffers] found out how we knew what we knew about their … the Trump staff dealing with Russians — that they would try to compromise those sources and methods, meaning we no longer have access to that intelligence.”
At the end of the interview, Farkas said, “we have good intelligence on Russia … that’s why you have the leaking. People are worried.”
Next, hillary clinton AND her staff had access to top secret information after she left State,and even after she announced she was running for President
In 2015, Cheryl Mills’ attorney said her client had access as late as Oct. 30 of that year, according to documents reviewed by Fox News. After leaving the State Department, Mills was an advisor to Clinton’s presidential bid. Heather Samuelson, a lawyer who worked under Mills and also was a staffer for Clinton in 2008 during her presidential run, also apparently retained an active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance, according to records reviewed by Fox News.
and after Trump announced he was running for President. Cheryl Mills had access to all the information collected on Trump and his team from the time he announced his candidacy until at least October of 2015.
Schiff had the opportunity to view the same documents as Nunes yesterday and he said this:
Viewed docs today at White House invitation. Here are my thoughts: pic.twitter.com/EZ5COuoVVU
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 31, 2017
The most interesting part of this is not what Schiff said- it was just more of the same whining about the process that democrats have been clutching at for the last few weeks. And that means you have a weak hand.
It’s what he didn’t say.
There was no bluster, no personal attack, no hyperbole about fake news or fake intel. There were no denials.
In other words, Nunes is right. The unmasking and leaking- it was all political. It’s only being cast as national security.
And it’s about to get whole lot bigger.
UPDATE
Nunes’ intel did not come from anyone in the White House
Why Nunes could view the intel only on White House grounds:
Nunes and the White House have faced heated questions from the press about Nunes’s viewing of the information on White House grounds; however, the Fox report added that there were only two places where Nunes could have viewed the information. One was at the agencies where the information came from, which the reporting notes would have put the source at risk, and the other location was on the 18-acre White House grounds. Housley noted that the Old Executive Office Building is on White House grounds. He also specified where information after hours and where highly sensitive information may be accessed.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.
Sean Davis:
Follow the leaks and it will lead to the crime. Only so many people have access to that classified info. I just want the TRUTH, chips fall where they may. Is it possible in Washington?
Once again, it appears Trump was right and the entire left has been played.
It is going to be revealed that the former administration was the most corrupt and anti-Constitutional in history. This is because it was full of liberals; leftists seeking socialism.
There are likely going to be many people from the Obama administration who may be moving to a new walled in compound in Lewisburg, PA. Schiff didn’t have much to say after his visit to the White House, did he?
The only way Trump can stop this is to prosecute some and reveal all. When all of this is out in public, it is likely that the media will also be involved. Continued attacks on Trump by the lefties after they are exposed as the “crooks” they are, has the potential to cause many of the left leaning voters to move right.
CONSERVATIVES ARE SMART,LIBERAL ARE DUMB,HEAR THEM WHINE WHEN THEY HIT THEIR THUMB
Flynn said in winter 2016—‘only people who are guilty seek immunity from prosecution.” Trump echoed those sentiments.
Flynn obviously has a story to tell–he was unceremoniously dumped by Trump/Pence. Payback??
@Richard Wheeler: But all of YOU said (as immunity was being handed out like candy to Hillary’s gang) that it was no indication of any guilt whatsoever.
Which is it?
Rep. Schiff came out from the WH where the scales were torn from his eyes with nothing to say to further his official narrative.
So, what to do?
Hadn’t the media kept this “scandal” going for a full day over which door Rep Nunez walked in when he entered the White House?
Yes, they had.
So, an equivalent of that.
How about, Why hadn’t the WH given this info to the ENTIRE committee?
Dumb grasping at straws.
Even his OWN side in the media knows that most of the committee doesn’t have high enough clearance for that to be allowed.
No one is using his “talking point” to press this scandal narrative for another day.
Most of the Left realizes the Trump WH has them over a barrel.
A high ranking Dem operative, already willing to lie under oath, will eventually be named.
And, with the “wiretapping” starting in SPRING of 2015, when Trump 1st announced, there’s no way HE was behind it!
@Bill- Deplorable Me:I never commented on that–I’m merely QUOTING Flynn–and DT.
Nan–you still yelling “wire-tapping?” Not even Trump lackey Nunez is claiming that.
@Richard Wheeler: “YOU” refers to the monolithic, hateful, miserable, sore-losing left.
@Richard Wheeler: I put the scare quotes around it.
@Richard Wheeler: Actually, when anyone talks to a congressional committee, it is best to seek immunity in such a political situation. Scooter Libby should have done that.
Flynn and Nunes Fallout Over Russia Probe Grows Ominous for Trump White House
The “investigation” headed by Nunes is a farce. He’s beginning to look very much like part of the cover up effort.
@Greg: Well, we will see how much your analysis has improve since your election predictions. This story has gone beyond being a story. Even the Democrats believe it now. Only the kool aid drinkers who suck up everything they are given believe there is nothing there.
@Randy:
Really.
Well, that settles that.
@Greg: Just watching a report about media coverage of Nunes’ revelation compared to the revelations that there was surveillance and unmasking of Trump personnel that had nothing to do with the Russian probe. The politically-driven investigations and unmasking has gotten
0
coverage. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Zip. This represents the politicization of our entire intelligence gathering apparatus by a guy that politicized the IRS, DOJ and every other agency and department. NO coverage.
Meanwhile, you liberals rant and rave about Trump’s “mental illness”. I think we all know where the mental illness is, Greg.
@PhillipMarlowe: I don’t know if you’ve noticed what everyone else has noticed, but you have obviously run out of defense of your corrupt party and ideology.
@Bill… Deplorable Me: The incompetency of the Democratic Party is providing opportunities for a third party for the next election. Trying to balance auto manufacturing with environmentalists is incompatible. It only worked when the republicans are suitably classified as a generic enemy.
@PhillipMarlowe: There sure are a lot of crickets chirping on Capital Hill these days! By the way, where is Obama? Hiding out somewhere? How many attorneys has he hired to defend himself?
a source told Fox News on Friday.
sources said.
It’s what he didn’t say.
Intelligence and House sources with direct knowledge of the disclosure of classified names told Fox News
Well, un-named sources, will we never learn
They should all become climate scientists.
The former President sure is extending that vacation alone.
@kitt: WTF??
House Intelligence Committee–forgetaboutit
I have some hope for Senate Intelligence Committee.
FBI?? Comey a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
@Randy, #14:
My election predictions failed to take into account the fact that Donald Tяump would receive repeated assists from Vladimir Putin’s intelligence service and disinformation media apparatus.
I also failed to recognize how many of the latter day GOP’s elected leaders would be willing to overlook a foreign power’s obvious manipulation of their constituents’ opinions in exchange for votes.
At least my estimation concerning total republican incompetence in all matters of actual, effective governance has been totally on target. They’re now have control of the House, the Senate, and the White House, but still can’t accomplish anything useful or beneficial to the American people. As always, their campaign promises were nothing more than a bill of imaginary goods. They can’t even get it together to repeal and replace Obamacare, after claiming this to be their main purpose in life, and claiming to have a better and simpler solution ready to roll on Day One. Their new replacement promise is Jobs, jobs, jobs!—a goal they’re claiming success in achieving by citing a continuation of the same jobs growth and unemployment rates that the Obama administration had been producing for the past several years. They’ve only got that because they haven’t yet done anything to screw it up. They’ve become a joke that has long since ceased to be funny.
Want me to make a prediction about the 2018 elections? You won’t like it.
@Greg:
In what way? How was Trump assisted? What did Putin do? These are questions NEVER answered by the big-mouth cry babies still whining that the worst, most corrupt and incompetent candidate this country has ever seen losing her inevitability. Never.
Obama has been surveilling Trump and his team since 2015. THIS means that, since Trump was the least likely candidate to make the cut, he was probably surveilling ALL the Republicans. This WILL be flushed out and if it is, Obama will prove to be THE most corrupt President we have ever seen. But, that’s how socialists are.
Look for Obama to be spending time in a country that has no extradition treaty with the US.
@Greg: How about making a prediction about how there was no Russian influence that affected the outcome of the election! To date, there is no one on the Clinton side who denied that the emails released by WIKILEAK were false. The leaks could have been prevented if Clinton had used a secure server, but she committed a felony by failing to secure classified government information. You are still drinking the Kool Aid!
@Bill… Deplorable Me: The kool Aid Greg is drinking altered his brain cells. He has not posted a rational thought in years!
@Bill… Deplorable Me, #23:
Any intelligent observer who has been paying attention to a reasonably wide range of news sources could give highly likely answers to those questions. I have done so here before, as have others, on multiple occasion, and have grown weary of doing so. Trump supporters just don’t take in anything they don’t want to know about, and believe whatever they want to believe, regardless of a lack of evidence or the presence of evidence to the contrary. I’ve come to realize these are defining characteristics. Anyone who has an interest in the difference between truth and lies wouldn’t have voted for Donald Trump in the first place.
The man is a habitual liar. He places no value whatsoever on truthfulness, either in business or in politics.
Our Dishonest President
You either have your eyes open or you don’t. If your eyes are open, some things are just too obvious to be missed. Nobody is going to do the seeing for you. You either have to see for yourself, or be blind.
@Greg: You’ve got that right, Greg.
@Rich Wheeler: heres what I see every country spies on every other country
The USA interferes with other countries elections on a regular basis
The super secret boogaloo the Russians onlyfailed in California and NY, no evidence anything the Ruskies did (without proof) had an effect on voters anywhere. Clinton shunned the press during the election, Trump was on every show everyhere, her crowd sizes couldnt fill an elementary school gym, his people line up early in the morning, his following on twitter was much higher than hers. He campaigned on getting Americans jobs, she campaigned on getting herself one.
Was just fake news stories, the chaos in the middle east, her response to the dead in Bengahzi, what fake news that was so devastating did the Red Menace spread?
I see all the major outlets still spreading propaganda, every one of them left and right.
Let their secret sources go to the authorities with their proof, I dislike sneaking back biting spineless “sources”.
@Greg:
No, you haven’t. No, no one else has either. There are NO examples of a tangible effect anything the Russians may have done had on the election. NONE. Your AJ-esque dodge of a repeatedly-posed question is beneath you. At least Wheeler confessed he doesn’t know exactly how it affected the election, only that it did.
The FACT is there was no Russian influence on the election. If they tried, they had no affect. What they DID accomplish was getting whiny, cry-baby liberals to question the validity of an American election, exactly what the left was accusing Trump (well before the fact) of doing.
A further FACT (which was thoroughly discussed during the campaign) was how deep in debt Hillary was to foreign sources of donations and contributions. Mixing uranium with cash payments further complicates the relationship, but you liberals brushed it aside. Yet that was real and Putin owning Trump is imaginary, and fantastic imaginary at that.
The Clinton’s were money in, favors out, but let’s not look at that; let’s pretend there was Russian influence in the election of one bad candidate over a far, far worse candidate. Yet, the bad candidate that won is proving to be a potential great leader while the bad, bad, bad candidate that lost would have been entangled with quid pro quo obligations as long as she was President, though the media would do all it could to bury that… just as they have tried to bury the Clinton’s influence peddling.
@PhilllipMArlowe:
“Can I kiss you butt for you, Greg? You’re my hero, Greg. Let me kiss your butt some more.”
@Bill… Deplorable Me, #29:
The “tangible effect,” Sherlock, is that we have an incompetent, dishonest, utterly clueless, and possibly mentally unbalanced buffoon in the White House—an outcome that runs contrary to all logic, to all expectations, and to every independent poll and survey leading up to Election Day. Possibly he’s not even running the White House, let alone the country. He doesn’t seem to know enough. I’m beginning to suspect his daughter and son-in-law might be covering for him.
@Bill… Deplorable Me: Notice how Greg is an expert on everything. Obama and the Clintons didn’t lie, right? H Clinton was ambushed in Kosovo, right? Check out Obama care. Even the NYT has predicted failure. Obama care was just Hillary care wrapped up a little different.
Greg and his lefty Kool Aid drinkers should read Trump’s books, they might learn something, likely not!
Is the Trump White House Spying on the FBI?
http://tcf.org/content/commentary/trump-white-house-spying-fbi/
2 White House Officials Helped Give Nunes Intelligence Reports
So, as we see, Nunes lies again.
A disgrace to those of Portuguese-American heritage.
Most of us who can trace our ancestors back to the Azores aren’t liars and enablers like Devin.
@Greg:
You should provide examples proving each of those accusations for, thus far, Trump has proven more accomplished and competent, more of a LEADER than Obama did in eight years. So, prove away.
And while you’re at it, how about answering the original question?
@PhillipMarlowe:
You are an absurd idiot that will happily believe any stupidity provided you from a leftist propaganda mill.
Did Trump’s own people begin spying on themselves in 2015?
@PhillipMarlowe: If you were 1% as smart as you think you are, you would realize that the information could only be accessed on the White House server. To go to the source would be to reveal the source of the information to the agency who leaked the information. Nunes did the only thing he could do to protect his source. It is quite obvious from your comments that you have spent no time reading the various analysis of this issue. Since the leaks occurred well before Trump was President, your idea that the Trump White House unmasked the names is ignorant. Only the Obama White House could have unmasked the names. That means there was illegal activity in the Obama White House, but then everyone else writing on this site already knew this except you and Greg, See we read more than HUFPO and are very careful what we drink!
@Randy: You and Bill need to quit conversing with these people. It only encourages them to come here looking for attention.
@Randy:
No, Trump could have and more than likely, did.
As the Trump administration has admitted, they are placing people in the various agencies to keep tabs on those working there, including their own appointees.
As for being smart, I thought for the longest time that I was stupid and that my brother was the smart one.
But then, mum and dad let us play with the kids in the neighborhood, probably thinking we needed to have “friends.”
The bottom line—-Trump got only 46% of the popular vote–a portion were people who could not stand his opponent.
He is “upsetting” a good portion of his 46%–Freedom Caucus and others—what ‘s left? Hardcore Trumpeteers–35-38%–he’s frustrated and it COULD get worse as he realizes he can’t rule by fiat without greater support.
Flynn was a mistake–led “lock her up” chant–Karma and payback is a bitch General.
@another vet: Allah forbid that you be made to realise that you are wrong.
@Bill… Deplorable Me: Oh, so now it is a fact that Trump was wiretapped starting 2015.
Why would Obama do that?
Oh, I forgot. He’s a genius who is able to see into the future.
Maybe he had the IRS do it, seeking to find out why Trump didn’t file tax returns or pay taxes.
Keep lying BillyBoy.
@Bill… Deplorable Me:
Trying to live up to that “deplorable” moniker, I see BillyBoy.
Be careful. That former military guy from the other day might get mad at you for being insulting.
Not!
Stupid hypocrite.
No Russian collusion confirmed by a man that went on television and was involved in investigation, Now the sensitive secret info must be shown to the commitee. Let them all see Obama spied on Trump during the election and transition then leaked it to the press for political purposes, then get the warrant ready for BHO if he ever comes back from the exclusive resort in a country that has no extradition, cut off his retirement funds and protection. Lock down his accounts. Michelle can apply for food stamps and welfare.
@kitt: Fraid you’ve lost it Kitt and have gone to a very dark place–Flynn testimony should bring a few guffaws–BHO like Bill–Teflon–too likeable—it’s the mean kids like DT and Flynn that are vulnerable
How bout a throwback to lighten the mood?.
@PhillipMarlowe: Hey Dumbo, If the leaks were leaked to the media before Trump had access to the information since he was not president, how could he have unmasked himself? Did you miss your psych appointment this week? I think they made a movie about you.
@another vet: I can not help myself sometimes. First of all, using the name of a fictional detective who would be well over 100 years old and being in character with dementia is a scream. He plays the role like he really has no ability to reason or to maintain a conversation longer than a few words. It is a good thing they do not have mandatory incarnation in “funny farms” any more. We would all be deprived of the humor.
@Rich Wheeler: You must remember that it is not the public who will be outing Obama. It will be his own people who likely will face prison or testify in an open congressional venue. BOs popularity will not matter when the public does not have a vote.
@Randy: What will they “out” him for?– wire tapping er surveillance–nobody but the deranged right is still suggesting that—–similar to the loony left painting a picture of Trump with Russian hookers.
Both extremes should come back to reality–less stressful.
@Rich Wheeler: What do you think this thread is about Rich? Are you getting as deranged as Philip Marlowe? The New York Times even has discussed this, One of Obama’s NSA officials discussed this on a TV interview, liberal TV.
@Randy: There is nothing there Randy—no confirmed direct surveillance .of Trump by Obama.
Flynn’s Russian connection–confirmed
Manafort’s Russian connection–confirmed
Deranged??—Trump himself showing the symptoms–ranting about fellow Repubs , House and Senate Intelligence Committees, FBI, CIA—–
@Rich Wheeler:
In light of obama’s campaign aides being in contact with Iran prior to his becoming President, what was it that Flynn did that was illegal or wrong?
You think it was proper for hillary and cheryl mills to have access to all of the private communications of Trump and his staff?
Via “incidental collection”?
@Randy: You have to remember people like Marlow believe it is OK to email sensitive information across unsecured lines and security rules are silly and unnecessary (well, if a liberal is handling it).
You also have to remember these are the people that believe Bush “lied” about intelligence most Democrats were promoting while he was still governor of Texas. These are NOT smart people.
@Bill- Deplorable Me: I know they are not smart, but I had hoped there would be a little honesty in their posts.