Trump and his cult are wrong again.
Congrats to every credulous pundit and reporter who pretended to believe GOP/Trump bullshit about this https://t.co/HNlvbozzcG
— Daniel Gilmore (@gilmored85) May 20, 2020
A 30 year+ veteran of the @CIA wrote this piece. You should read it.
— Sam Vinograd (@sam_vinograd) May 17, 2020
He argues that the DNI’s unprecedented release of a list of officials who made unmasking requests has yet again politicized the IC and suggests that the intent was to create a political spectacle. https://t.co/MIuelnbv9E
Why the “unmasking” requests of Michael Flynn were not improper. https://t.co/J7KPrep4bZ
— Michael Morell (@MichaelJMorell) May 17, 2020
Unmasking is a formal process. It's not a crime. It is not leaking. It's heavily regulated. And…wait for it…the Trump Administration has done it extensively.
— Kelly Magsamen (@kellymagsamen) May 13, 2020
Under US surveillance rules, unmasking an American's identity in a report derived from foreign-intelligence surveillance is routine when necessary to understand (e.g., who was the Russian ambassador talking to?). The NSA did so 10,000 times last year, nearly 17,000 times in 2018. pic.twitter.com/iThs9w15ZN
— Charlie Savage (@charlie_savage) May 13, 2020
1. This was all about wanting to leak the list from the get go. 2. I legitimately have no idea how anyone could construe this list as even remotely controversial, but I'm sure Trump & Co will find a way. https://t.co/TijP4QQXFd
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) May 13, 2020
"Unmasking" sounds vaguely sinister but it means intel agents flagged Flynn's suspicious contacts with Russia – which Flynn would later lie to the VP and FBI about, for some reason – and officials found out who he was, with proper approvals and through authorized channels.
— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) May 13, 2020
NEW: Grassley/Johnson have released list of Obama officials who made unmasking requests that might've IDed Flynn.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) May 13, 2020
Most of the requests identified, though, came before Flynn spoke to Kislyak.https://t.co/sHiQJlw5hY
Under US surveillance rules, unmasking an American's identity in a report derived from foreign-intelligence surveillance is routine when necessary to understand (e.g., who was the Russian ambassador talking to?). The NSA did so 10,000 times last year, nearly 17,000 times in 2018. pic.twitter.com/iThs9w15ZN
— Charlie Savage (@charlie_savage) May 13, 2020
Sad! 