GOP Intel Chair Under Fire for Announcing Intelligence Community Captured Trump Team Communications
Running Interference for Trump Team?
Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who also was a member of the Trump transition team and remains close to the Trump administration is under fire Wednesday afternoon. Congressman Nunes (R-CA) just finished a press conference during which he announced U.S. intelligence agencies captured communications from members of the Trump transition team, and appeared to be running interference for President Donald Trump. Trump himself has been under fire for three weeks for his lie that President Barack Obama wiretapped him.
“Members of the Donald Trump transition team, possibly including Trump himself, were under U.S. government surveillance following November’s presidential election,” Politico reports Nunes said.
“I recently confirmed that on numerous occasions, the intelligence community collected information about U.S. individuals involved in the Trump transition,” Nunes said before cameras.
“Details about U.S. persons associated with the incoming administration with little or no apparent foreign intelligence value, were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting.”
Rep. Nunes also stated that “additional names of Trump transition team members were unmasked,” referring to the practice of keeping U.S. Citizens’ names “masked,” or anonymous if they are not part of an investigation.
“None of this surveillance was related to Russia,” Nunes stressed.
Nunes says material collected was “significant information” about Trump and the transition team.
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) March 22, 2017
Chairman Nunes made his remarks without even telling his Vice Chairman, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.
Here’s a clip of Q&A with reporters:
.@devingnunes: “I have seen intelligence reports that clearly show that the President-elect and his team were, I guess, at least monitored…” pic.twitter.com/wCxJu3irPZ
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 22, 2017
Many journalists and other experts were stunned by Nunes’ remarks, wondering why he was addressing the media with these allegations. They also stated he appeared to be running interference for the Trump Administration, and wondered why he would tell the Trump administration – some of who are subjects of an ongoing counterintelligence investigation. Also questioned were if he had revealed classified information.
Heat Street creator Louise Mensch, who has been closely following the Trump-Russia story, writes:
VERY IMPORTANT. This means that @realDonaldTrump obstructed justice on March 4th on Twitter. Not just @DevinNunes now. Trump, then https://t.co/sxgv73vxxd
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) March 22, 2017
I told you that #FISAgate was a real news problem. Trump’s wiretap tweet was obstruction of justice. He leaked on Twitter. Impeach him https://t.co/f0jdYrEBtz
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) March 22, 2017
Pull @DevinNunes security clearance and arrest him for obstruction of justice https://t.co/f0jdYrEBtz
— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) March 22, 2017
Washington Post National Security Reporter:
Nunes, who is concerned about leaks, holds presser to describe what he said is “all classified information” about FISA collection. Hmmmm.
— Ellen Nakashima (@nakashimae) March 22, 2017
Salon political reporter:
in what way is Nunes not running interference on behalf of an administration that is currently under investigation?
— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) March 22, 2017
MSNBC journalist:
Nunes is clearly on a mission to protect Trump. The question is why. https://t.co/KBPlMxYfC6
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) March 22, 2017
Democratic Congressman:
Stmt by Rep Devin Nunes means @realDonaldTrump officials were either talking to agents of a foreign power, or people suspected of crimes. https://t.co/Ru17iWUrGF
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 22, 2017
Hillary Clinton’s Press Secretary:
Someone please ask @PressSec follow-up on his rationale for appropriateness of @DevinNunes meeting. What remarkable bullshit.
— Nick Merrill (@NickMerrill) March 22, 2017
More:
-This was all legal
-This does not support Trump’s claims
-Devin Nunes appears to have leaked classified info. https://t.co/jGfy0ugdVy— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) March 22, 2017
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