DID THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION’S ABUSE OF FOREIGN-INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION START BEFORE TRUMP?

Tabletmag ^ | 4/05/18 | Lee Smith

[Libloather]

The accusation that the Obama administration used information gleaned from classified foreign surveillance to smear and blackmail its political opponents at home has gained new traction in recent days, after reports that former National Security Adviser Susan Rice may have been rifling through classified transcripts for over a year that could have included information about Donald Trump and his associates. While using resources that are supposed to keep Americans safe from terrorism for other purposes may be a dereliction of duty, it is no more of a crime than spending all day on Twitter instead of doing your job. The crime here would be if she leaked the names of U.S. citizens to reporters. In the end, the seriousness of the accusation against Rice and other former administration officials who will be caught up in the “unmasking” scandal will rise or fall based on whether or not Donald Trump was actively engaged in a conspiracy to turn over the keys of the White House to the Kremlin. For true believers in the Trump-Kremlin conspiracy theories, the Obama “spying and lying” scandal isn’t a scandal at all; just public officials taking prudent steps to guard against an imminent threat to the republic.

But what if Donald Trump wasn’t the first or only target of an Obama White House campaign of spying and illegal leaks directed at domestic political opponents?

In a December 29, 2015 article, The Wall Street Journal described how the Obama administration had conducted surveillance on Israeli officials to understand how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, like Ambassador Ron Dermer, intended to fight the Iran Deal. The Journal reported that the targeting “also swept up the contents of some of their private conversations with U.S. lawmakers and American-Jewish groups.”

[Libloather]

This is what systematic abuse of foreign-intelligence collection for domestic political purposes looks like: Intelligence collected on Americans, lawmakers, and figures in the pro-Israel community was fed back to the Obama White House as part of its political operations. The administration got the drop on its opponents by using classified information, which it then used to draw up its own game plan to block and freeze those on the other side. And—with the help of certain journalists whose stories (and thus careers) depend on high-level access—terrorize them.

I have zero doubt.

[Flick Lives]

But what if Donald Trump wasn’t the first or only target of an Obama White House campaign of spying and illegal leaks directed at domestic political opponents?

—

A crook never just pulls one con job. He gets away with the first one, which leads to the second, and so on, until he’s caught, if he’s caught. Same with the Obama WH. There being zero press oversight on his actions, it was easy for the Obama administration to twist the spy agencies to use against political enemies.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Another Duh! moment

[WayneS]

I’m pretty sure it started in January of 2009.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Is the Pope Catholic?

Wait! What?

Eh. Scratch that one.

[Major Matt Mason]

The Clintons started it, Obama just put it on steroids.

[treetopsandroofs]

The Fraud’s handlers had to take down Seven of Nine’s husband first....

[CivilWarBrewing]

How else do you think Obama moved all the AMERICA-HATERS into key positions after becoming president? HE WAS SPYING ON EVERYONE'S PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS including emails and phone calls. Look at all the demotions in our military, all a part of his reign of terror.

Oh yeah and two words:

AWAN BROTHERS!

[expat2]

Maybe they carried out this crap on SCOTUS’ Roberts, and blackmailed him. That would explain Robert’s very odd contortions on the Obamacare decision.

[UCANSEE2]

He gets away with the first one

You mean like when he won the Senator race by having his opponents SEALED DIVORCE RECORDS published in the MEDIA ?

[UCANSEE2]

I’m pretty sure it started in January of 2009.

I would say it started in 2004.

Court sets release of Ryan's divorce file

[enduserindy]

Was that Roberts?

[KSCITYBOY]

btt

[adorno]

While using resources that are supposed to keep Americans safe from terrorism for other purposes may be a dereliction of duty,

That's not dereliction of duty. It's a crime to use the FISA courts to spy on Americans. It's an intended act, and not "dereliction of duty". The authors definition is intended to justify the actions of the corrupt Obama administration.

... it is no more of a crime than spending all day on Twitter instead of doing your job.

Except that, Trump's use of Twitter is not an "all day" thing, and the author is using the statement above to try to, again, justify and excuse Obama's actions with a supposedly "equal or more egregious" CRIME, as she defines Trump's use of Twitter.

What Obama did, is a big crime, and a violation of people's rights as laid out under the bill of rights, while what Trump does with Twitter does not violate any laws, and in fact, allows him to communicate with the people at home and abroad while avoiding the biased media critters, such as the author above.

[bkopto]

The most reasonable assumption is that the Obama administration acted in bad faith, in nearly every instance and in any and every way possible, from 2008-2016.

[shanover]

Obama is too stupid and lazy to think of things by himself. I do think the slime balls around him perfected the art of treasonous sleaze government and outdoing the Clinton regime.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

According to that right-wing source Newsweek, yes:

http://www.newsweek.com/obamas-double-talk-spying-netanyahu-and-congress-412456

[Bellflower]

Yes, of course. It is interesting that the anti Christ has a horn full of eyes. I think this means that his power is largely in his ability to “see all”, thereby this is his secret to his contro!l over the world’s peoples.
One place we see this demonstrated is over the rinos in congress. Also over the courts.

[MayflowerMadam]

“I have zero doubt.”

Ditto. It’s the only explanation for Roberts’ SCOTUS vote, and long before Trump.

[Defiant]

Duh. How do you think they got D’nesh Disouza?