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NSA SET TO PROVIDE CLASSIFIED COMMUNICATIONS INTERCEPTS TO HOUSE COMMITTEE
freebeacon ^ | March 31, 2017 | Bill Gertz

Posted on 03/31/2017 7:20:04 AM PDT by MarvinStinson

Nunes: Documents to explain apparent improper surveillance of Trump transition

The House intelligence committee will soon receive top-secret documents that investigators expect to reveal whether private communications of the president-elect and his transition team were improperly gathered.

Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.), chairman of the oversight panel, is pressing ahead with an investigation into unauthorized disclosures of intelligence that revealed the identities of Americans inadvertently caught up in foreign electronic surveillance, congressional aides said.

Nunes this week brushed off harsh Democratic-led criticism of recent briefings he gave to President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) based on disclosures of improper electronic spying provided by an intelligence community whistleblower.

Documents shown to Nunes revealed what appears to be electronic spying on communications of the Trump presidential transition team, including the president-elect, between November and January during a foreign spying operation.

House Democrats and major news outlets have ignored or downplayed the alarming assertions of unauthorized spying and leaks of highly classified electronic intelligence.

Instead, critics who in the past have decried unauthorized electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency have focused on unconfirmed allegations of Russian government collusion with Trump aides during the 2016 election.

Nunes expects the new NSA documents to help answer questions about how and why the identities of Americans were "unmasked" in secret intelligence reports and widely disseminated throughout government during the last days of the Obama administration, the committee aide said.

The identification of Americans in the reports and their dissemination within government is raising questions among investigators about whether the Obama administration misused foreign intelligence as part of a political spying operation against the incoming Trump transition team.

The NSA intercepts are expected to be supplied to the committee this week. They were requested by Nunes and ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) two weeks ago in a letter to the FBI, CIA, and NSA.

The committee leaders stated in the letter that recent press reports appeared to be based on unauthorized intelligence disclosures that violated spy agency rules designed to guard Americans' privacy rights.

"We're still waiting to get information back from NSA, CIA, and FBI on unmasking," a committee aide said of the process to identify Americans in foreign electronic surveillance reports.

"We've gotten some information from NSA, very little from CIA, and nothing from FBI. We're expecting a new tranche [of documents] from NSA very soon," he added.

The aide dismissed as false recent press reports asserting the House probe is floundering.

Materials provided to the committee so far do not explain who ordered the unmasking of Americans' identities in the foreign intelligence reports or why they were widely disseminated.

The Nunes-Schiff letter from March 15 asked for details of policies on identifying Americans, the total number of Americans unmasked between June and January, and who requested the names of Americans redacted in the reports.

NSA is required to black out the identities of Americans in raw foreign intelligence reports. Identities are only unmasked when there are indications of terrorist or criminal activity in the intercepts.

The House committee put off two hearings scheduled for this week, including a return visit by FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Adm. Mike Rogers.

Comey and Rogers testified at an open committee hearing March 20 that there was "no information" to support claims by Trump in tweets that his transition team had been improperly "wiretapped" prior to Jan. 20.

The committee is expected to question both officials in the near future about why they were apparently unaware of the recently discovered intelligence reports read by Nunes at a White House meeting shortly after the March 20 hearing.

A second hearing scheduled for this week also was postponed. That session was meant to publicly question three Obama administration officials about electronic surveillance.

The committee plans to hear from former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director James Brennan, and former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired by Trump in January, when that hearing is rescheduled, possibly as soon as next week.

House investigators expect to question the former officials about their knowledge of electronic surveillance of Trump aides' communications and whether the former officials may have been the source for news stories about the secret intelligence.

White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was forced to resign after his identity was unmasked in intercepted communications with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak that were leaked to the press. The conversations revealed Flynn had discussed U.S. sanctions on Russia in conversations, which he failed to disclose to Vice President Mike Pence prior to a Sunday talk show appearance.

The New York Times reported Thursday that White House officials Ezra Cohen-Watnick, intelligence director for the National Security Council staff, and Michael Ellis, a lawyer in the White House Counsel's Office and a former counsel to House intelligence committee, assisted Nunes in accessing the intelligence reports.

House investigators also were alerted to comments this week by Evelyn Farkas, an Obama administration deputy assistant defense secretary, who suggested on MSNBC that the Obama administration was surveilling the Trump team prior to inauguration.

Farkas, who left the Pentagon in October 2015, said that after Trump was elected she urged former colleagues in the administration and in Congress to "get as much information as you can, get as much intelligence as you can before President Obama leaves the administration because I had a fear that somehow that information would disappear with the senior [Obama] people who left, so it would be hidden away in the bureaucracy."

"If the Trump folks found out how we knew what we knew about the Trump staff's dealings with Russians, that they would try to compromise those sources and methods, meaning would no longer have access to that intelligence," Farkas said.

Farkas said she was "very worried" that "not enough was coming out into the open, and I knew that there was more."

"We have very good intelligence on Russia," Farkas said. "So then I had talked to some of my former colleagues and I knew that they were trying to help get information to the [Capitol] Hill. That's why you have the leaking."

Later, Farkas told WGBH television that the published reports on Trump aides' links to Russia were "smoke" and that once Trump was in the White House he would become custodian of all classified information. Farkas wanted Congress to get access to that information.

"So all I was saying to the Obama people and the people on the Hill was, make sure you share the data, the facts, whatever facts you have on this. And it wasn't advocating for anybody tapping, leaking, spying, anything of that nature," she said.

Reached by email, Farkas denied having knowledge of intelligence regarding ties between Russians and Trump aides, and said she had been responding to press reports about the connections.

Farkas' comments reflected those of anonymous former American officials who told the New York Times the Obama administration after November had "scrambled" to spread information within government about Russian election meddling and possible ties between Trump aides and Russians.

The March 1 Times report stated that "American intelligence agencies had intercepted communications of Russian officials, some of them within the Kremlin, discussing contacts with Trump associates."

The Times report also said U.S. intelligence agencies pushed to process "as much raw intelligence as possible into analyses, and to keep the reports at a relatively low classification level to ensure as wide a readership as possible across the government."

If accurate, that could explain how the identities of Americans were unmasked and disseminated in the classified reports seen by Nunes.

Angelo M. Codevilla, a former staff member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and an expert on electronic surveillance, said it is impossible to distinguish between "intended collection" and "incidental collection" of the kind described by Nunes.

The issue was among the most debated topics when the Senate intelligence committee drafted the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in 1978.

FISA is up for renewal this year. Allegations of improper electronic surveillance under the act could influence congressional debate on any new legislation.

"It was always clear that someone intent on ‘wiretapping' an American target could do so under FISA by piggybacking on a foreign one," Codevilla said.

Before computer servers, such abusive secondary spying on Americans was difficult technically and legally.

"No longer," Codevilla said. "The easy conflation between intended and incidental collection is the reason why we went to such lengths to describe ‘minimization procedures.' But violating these with impunity has always been child’s play."

Codevilla said incidental electronic spying can be used as an excuse since modern encryption technology prevents electronic spying on diplomatic targets through traditional and widely used capture-and-sort electronic communications collection methods.

"Virtually all of it is by highly targeted, very high tech bugging," he said. "And Internet servers are the fattest contemporary targets for electronic surveillance."

The House investigation has been marked by partisan infighting, with Democrats on the committee charging Nunes has compromised the inquiry by contacting the president. Schiff, the ranking committee member, has called for an independent investigation. Others have called on Nunes to recuse himself.

Nunes has rejected the Democrats' charges and continues to press ahead, the committee aide said.

The Democrats' criticism is unusual. In recent years, Democratic lawmakers have been critical of alleged improper NSA surveillance. Now that Nunes is focusing on the apparent improper surveillance of the Trump transition team, the Democrats appear uninterested in the issue.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.), perhaps Capitol Hill's most outspoken opponent of electronic surveillance as a threat to Americans' privacy, has been silent on Nunes' disclosures of improper surveillance.

Wyden told the Washington Post that Nunes' statements appear to reveal classified information and were a "serious concern."

"With regard to the substance of his claims, I have no idea what he is talking about," Wyden said.

A spokeswoman for Wyden did not return emails seeking comment.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: nsa; nsaintel; nunes; trumpintel
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To: MarvinStinson
Thanks to "Aunt Blabby"---Evelyn Farkas' widespread comments about being an accessory to helping Obama spy on Trump-----reinforced those of anonymous former American officials.

These officials told the New York Times the Obama administration-----after the November eletion----had "scrambled" to spread information within government about Russian election meddling and possible ties between Trump aides and Russians.

These startling comments almost duplicated those of Evelyn Farkas.

21 posted on 03/31/2017 7:36:37 AM PDT by Liz (Evelyn Farkas on MSNBC: "I helped spy on Trump.for Obama..")
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To: eyeamok

If Maxine Waters knew about it, then EVERY (d) on the hill knew......................


22 posted on 03/31/2017 7:37:08 AM PDT by Red Badger (Ending a sentence with a preposition is nothing to be afraid of........)
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To: Red Badger

I think you’re going to see the Democrats quiet down for the time being. Once the White House counsel sent his letter about the White House records yesterday — and publicized it widely — there is a huge risk for them if this story stays on the front page. The White House has boxed them into a corner by laying the evidence out for them to see, and if they ignore the evidence it may very well get out in public.


23 posted on 03/31/2017 7:37:25 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (President Donald J. Trump ... Making America Great Again, 140 Characters at a Time)
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To: ClearCase_guy
-- And I don't think they have any sort of "Plan B". --

"Aliens"

24 posted on 03/31/2017 7:37:30 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: MarvinStinson

Prima facia proof of the politicization that Obama has allowed to grow within the intelligence agencies, regardless of content. That our intel community is split into factions that oppose one another instead of working for the common good of the American people is shameful. President Trump now has the mandate to now only drain the swamp, but to fill it in, bulldoze the nearby hills and valleys, and create something new that can never get into such a sorry state again. Perhaps it’s time for a single national intelligence service with one man at the top, one mission, and a common set of goals and metrics instead of this inefficient, political, balkanized mess.


25 posted on 03/31/2017 7:37:46 AM PDT by bigbob
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To: All
Thanks to Aunt Blabby---Evelyn Farkas---- all America knows Obama & a buncha Democrat sleazeballs were spying on Trump and company.......just another tidbit in The Life And Times of Low Life Losers: Obama, the Clintons, and the Democrats.

Left unreported, is how many US govt paychecks this blabbermouth is cashing. You just know, Hill Democrats got bribed, exchanging info to put Farkas on obscure govt payrolls.

Look at the sleazy resume of Eveleyn "I Spy for Cash" Farkas. She's done nothing but swill at the public trough. Probably cashing quite a few govt pension checks from all that swilling.

As FReeper caww insightfully posted: Most of Obama's appointees knew nothing about the positions they were given (other than pay/perks/pensions). Most were hand-picked factotums from losing Democrat political campaigns....... and had to have the mojo to generate campaign money for future Democrat elections. Their political jobs----flacking Democats....simply continued throughout the time spent in Obama’s administration.

Few, if any, of the Obama picks ever served us or our nation...or even know what public service means. The focus of Obama and his Me-First know-nothing appointees, like Farkas, were all about a singular effort:

<><> setting the stage ‘for Democrat elections’ above anything else:

<><> acquiring, retrieving and inventing information on the opposition,

<><> moving tax revenue offshore via fake front organizations,

<><> embedding Democrats in the judicial and court systems (to make it appear Obama had a "legacy.")

26 posted on 03/31/2017 7:39:49 AM PDT by Liz (Evelyn Farkas on MSNBC: "I helped spy on Trump.for Obama..")
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To: MarvinStinson
If I were Mike Flynn I'd demand immunity too. This *is* a political witch hunt. Absent immunity, Mike Flynn should simply refuse to answer a single question, assert his Fifth Amendment right and flip Congress the bird. That's exactly what I'd do, and I think that's what any smart person should do.

When I say refuse to answer a single question, that includes the question "Are you Mike Flynn?"

27 posted on 03/31/2017 7:41:18 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: Alberta's Child

I think that some of them, if not all, will refuse to go....................


28 posted on 03/31/2017 7:41:58 AM PDT by Red Badger (Ending a sentence with a preposition is nothing to be afraid of........)
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To: MarvinStinson

Where’s Pelosi ? {{{{{{{crickets}}}}}}}


29 posted on 03/31/2017 7:44:38 AM PDT by wardamneagle
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To: Red Badger

My point exactly, there will Lots of Rats attempting to flee the ship if released to the Public.


30 posted on 03/31/2017 7:44:53 AM PDT by eyeamok (destruction of government records.)
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To: Liz

Amd the reason they “Scrambled” to spread the intel...the reason they were “scrambling”....

Because they thought Hillary had the election in the bag and nobody would ever know about their crimes.

The “scrambling” is the evidence of the ongoing surveillance of Trump prior to the election


31 posted on 03/31/2017 7:46:36 AM PDT by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (Repeal & replace Obamacare, tax reform, fix infrastructure, fixin military, Israel, kill enemies)
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To: Red Badger

Then it can be declassified and released in drips over the course of many weeks and months. This will not serve the Democrats well either way.


32 posted on 03/31/2017 7:46:54 AM PDT by Alberta's Child (President Donald J. Trump ... Making America Great Again, 140 Characters at a Time)
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To: LS
The excrement is about to hit the wind tunnel.

Are you making an educated guess or do you know something for sure?

Just curious.

33 posted on 03/31/2017 7:53:21 AM PDT by bankwalker (groupthink is dangerous ...)
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To: eyeamok

Everybody is quiet today. Even Schiff head.


34 posted on 03/31/2017 7:54:00 AM PDT by Hyman Roth
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To: Alberta's Child

Agree. DC is a huge rummor mill and you can be sure there’s a lot of whispered “Do you think they have anything that will hurt us?” amongst Dems. And they will not like the answer they get.


35 posted on 03/31/2017 7:56:16 AM PDT by bigbob
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To: Liz

What they did not expect was that the whole thing would blow up in their faces like it has.

They did not expect that their own side, Podesta just being one fine example, would have far more serious ‘Russian ties’ that any they could pin on Trump or his aides.

They set a trap and got caught in it themselves.

Now they cannot turn the spigot off. Their cries of “RUSSIA!RUSSIA!RUSSIA!RUSSIA!” will turn to “Let’s just move on, shall we?” in the hopes that the coming revelations will be minimized, at least in the public arena.......................


36 posted on 03/31/2017 7:56:43 AM PDT by Red Badger (Ending a sentence with a preposition is nothing to be afraid of........)
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To: Mr. K

I think this Farkas lady opened her mount because they really thought they had Trump and that he would soon be gone.

It is blowing up in their faces and you can see the panic starting.

This is nothing more than an attempt at a soft coup. To undo the elections.


37 posted on 03/31/2017 7:57:03 AM PDT by crusher2013
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To: TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig

No question.....I’m having a good laugh over all of this b/c none of it should have surfaced.

Candidate Hillary sashayed around like she was president already. Obama even flacked her on AF One and let her use the presidential dais to reinforce her expected election.

She was so dammed sure of her position that she dared kick voters to the curb....calling them “deplorables”.

Course, she calculated “that little bunch of deplorables” cold never topple her exalted position.

Rude awakening for her.


38 posted on 03/31/2017 7:57:32 AM PDT by Liz (Evelyn Farkas on MSNBC: "I helped spy on Trump.for Obama..")
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To: bankwalker

It’s obvious. Nunes stated that his committee was investigating four things, one of them being leaks, and none of them were Trump’s “Russia connections.” So this is big stuff.


39 posted on 03/31/2017 7:57:47 AM PDT by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually" (Hendrix))
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To: Cementjungle

EGGZAKLY!!!


40 posted on 03/31/2017 7:59:39 AM PDT by Roccus (When you talk to a politician...ANY politician...always say, "Remember Ceausescu")
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