Bipartisan Senators Demand Proof of Trump's Wiretapping Allegation
'We would take any abuse of wiretapping authorities for political purposes very seriously. We would be equally alarmed to learn that a court found enough evidence of criminal activity or contact with a foreign power to legally authorize a wiretap'
U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) on Wednesday sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI asking for evidence to back up President Donald Trump's allegation that President Barack Obama wiretapped him before the November election.
Trump took to Twitter on Saturday to make the claim, without providing evidence, and on Sunday the White House asked Congress to investigate.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday also presented no evidence to back up the president's allegation, but said, "there's no question that something happened."
In their letter to Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana J. Boente and FBI Director James Comey, the senators are requesting proof.
Graham is chair and Whitehouse is ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which, they note, has oversight of the Department of Justice's criminal division, which obtains warrants for wiretaps.
"Therefore," they write,
we request that the Department of Justice provide us copies of any warrant applications and court orders--redacted as necessary to protect intelligence sources and methods that may be compromised by disclosure, and to protect any ongoing investigations--related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower. We will be glad to review any such applications and orders once they are disclosed, and proceed as appropriate with the oversight the President has requested.
As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, we would take any abuse of wiretapping authorities for political purposes very seriously. We would be equally alarmed to learn that a court found enough evidence of criminal activity or contact with a foreign power to legally authorize a wiretap of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower. We look forward to your response.
Graham also said to CNN Wednesday that he would subpoena the intelligence agencies for evidence.
Also on Wednesday, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, "the primary House committee of jurisdiction over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the Wiretap Act," sent a letter (pdf) to Comey calling for a briefing on the wiretap allegation as well as Russia's alleged interference into the election.
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has denied the wiretapping claim, an Obama spokesperson called it "unequivocally false," and Comey reportedly urged the DOJ to refute it.
But, Brain Barrett writes at Wired, "If federal authorities did have cause to listen in on Trump Tower, though, and they provided enough evidence for a FISA court to approve the snooping, Obama is not the one who ought to worry."
And "if the allegation is not true and is unsupported by evidence, that too should be a scandal on a major scale," argues Noah Feldman, a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University. "This is the kind of accusation that, taken as part of a broader course of conduct, could get the current president impeached."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) on Wednesday sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI asking for evidence to back up President Donald Trump's allegation that President Barack Obama wiretapped him before the November election.
Trump took to Twitter on Saturday to make the claim, without providing evidence, and on Sunday the White House asked Congress to investigate.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday also presented no evidence to back up the president's allegation, but said, "there's no question that something happened."
In their letter to Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana J. Boente and FBI Director James Comey, the senators are requesting proof.
Graham is chair and Whitehouse is ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which, they note, has oversight of the Department of Justice's criminal division, which obtains warrants for wiretaps.
"Therefore," they write,
we request that the Department of Justice provide us copies of any warrant applications and court orders--redacted as necessary to protect intelligence sources and methods that may be compromised by disclosure, and to protect any ongoing investigations--related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower. We will be glad to review any such applications and orders once they are disclosed, and proceed as appropriate with the oversight the President has requested.
As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, we would take any abuse of wiretapping authorities for political purposes very seriously. We would be equally alarmed to learn that a court found enough evidence of criminal activity or contact with a foreign power to legally authorize a wiretap of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower. We look forward to your response.
Graham also said to CNN Wednesday that he would subpoena the intelligence agencies for evidence.
Also on Wednesday, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, "the primary House committee of jurisdiction over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the Wiretap Act," sent a letter (pdf) to Comey calling for a briefing on the wiretap allegation as well as Russia's alleged interference into the election.
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has denied the wiretapping claim, an Obama spokesperson called it "unequivocally false," and Comey reportedly urged the DOJ to refute it.
But, Brain Barrett writes at Wired, "If federal authorities did have cause to listen in on Trump Tower, though, and they provided enough evidence for a FISA court to approve the snooping, Obama is not the one who ought to worry."
And "if the allegation is not true and is unsupported by evidence, that too should be a scandal on a major scale," argues Noah Feldman, a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University. "This is the kind of accusation that, taken as part of a broader course of conduct, could get the current president impeached."
U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) on Wednesday sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI asking for evidence to back up President Donald Trump's allegation that President Barack Obama wiretapped him before the November election.
Trump took to Twitter on Saturday to make the claim, without providing evidence, and on Sunday the White House asked Congress to investigate.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday also presented no evidence to back up the president's allegation, but said, "there's no question that something happened."
In their letter to Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana J. Boente and FBI Director James Comey, the senators are requesting proof.
Graham is chair and Whitehouse is ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, which, they note, has oversight of the Department of Justice's criminal division, which obtains warrants for wiretaps.
"Therefore," they write,
we request that the Department of Justice provide us copies of any warrant applications and court orders--redacted as necessary to protect intelligence sources and methods that may be compromised by disclosure, and to protect any ongoing investigations--related to wiretaps of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower. We will be glad to review any such applications and orders once they are disclosed, and proceed as appropriate with the oversight the President has requested.
As Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, we would take any abuse of wiretapping authorities for political purposes very seriously. We would be equally alarmed to learn that a court found enough evidence of criminal activity or contact with a foreign power to legally authorize a wiretap of President Trump, the Trump Campaign, or Trump Tower. We look forward to your response.
Graham also said to CNN Wednesday that he would subpoena the intelligence agencies for evidence.
Also on Wednesday, Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee, "the primary House committee of jurisdiction over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and the Wiretap Act," sent a letter (pdf) to Comey calling for a briefing on the wiretap allegation as well as Russia's alleged interference into the election.
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has denied the wiretapping claim, an Obama spokesperson called it "unequivocally false," and Comey reportedly urged the DOJ to refute it.
But, Brain Barrett writes at Wired, "If federal authorities did have cause to listen in on Trump Tower, though, and they provided enough evidence for a FISA court to approve the snooping, Obama is not the one who ought to worry."
And "if the allegation is not true and is unsupported by evidence, that too should be a scandal on a major scale," argues Noah Feldman, a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard University. "This is the kind of accusation that, taken as part of a broader course of conduct, could get the current president impeached."