Obama/his political appointees in trouble?

[enhanced_deficit]

Intelligence official who 'unmasked' Trump associates is 'very high up,' source says


By Malia Zimmerman, Adam Housley

Published March 31, 2017


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 unmasking of Americans whose communications apparently were caught up in surveillance under the Obama administration is a key part of an investigation being led by Nunes, who has come under fire from Democrats for focusing on that aspect.
Nunes has known about the unmasking controversy since January, when two sources in the intelligence community approached him. The sources told Nunes who was responsible and at least one of the Trump team names that was unmasked. They also gave him serial numbers of reports that documented the activity.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017...urce-says.html




Related

James Woods on Obama: He’s the ‘gift from hell that keeps on giving’
The Washington Times Thursday, September 12, 2013

The latest came this week, in response to a report from British press that revealed the National Security Agency commonly provides Israel with intelligence data — without first stripping out private and personal information on American citizens. The Guardian in London reported the item, the latest in its coverage of document leaks from Edward Snowden.
Mr. Woods unleashed his views of the matter — and of Mr. Obama's role in allowing the practice to occur — on Twitter.
He wrote: "Report: Data on Americans shared with Israel ... Obama: the gift from hell that keeps on giving."

[enhanced_deficit]

WSJ: Susan Rice Was Not Alone In "Unmasking" Team Trump

2 hours ago
It is the accusation that Rice unmasked members for purely political reasons - ostensibly in coordination with president Obama
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-0...-been-unmasked

[Jan2017]

Interesting point in link below is that it seems that it is supposed to work like an analyst finds something of interest before
a request goes to demask the identity of a conversation with a foreigner under surveillance.

Is it the opposite here - cart before the horse (?) -
more like Tricky Dick Nixon's Plumbers - go find out what dirt you can on these US persons to embarrass them.
The political motive to not allow the Obama legacy slip under a new President was there.


Susan Rice's alleged unmasking requests not so routine, ex-officials say

“From my direct experience dealing at this level, that is never done,” retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer told Fox News.
Shaffer has experience in intelligence operations focused on foreign actors in which U.S. citizens’ involvement could surface.

Ex-CIA analyst Fred Fleitz agreed . . .

“Rice’s denials don’t add up,” Fleitz wrote.
“It is hard to fathom how the demasking of multiple Trump campaign and transition officials was not politically motivated.”

Trump hasn't commented extensively since Rice's Tuesday interview,
however, asked by The New York Times if he thought Rice committed a crime Trump said: "Do I think? Yes, I think."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017...cials-say.html