Ex-DNI Clapper: 'To My Knowledge' No FISA Order For Trump Tower Surveillance

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo


By ESME CRIBB Published MARCH 5, 2017, 10:07 AM EDT

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on Sunday that to his knowledge there was no FISA court order to implement surveillance on Trump Tower, counter to President Donald Trump's claims on Saturday.

In an interview on NBC News' "Meet the Press," Clapper said that he did not know of any FISA court order to authorize surveillance on Trump Tower.

"Obviously I can't speak officially anymore, but I will say that for the part of the national security apparatus that I oversaw as DNI there was no wiretap activity mounted against the President-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign," he said. "I can't speak for other Title III authorized entities in the government, or a state or local entity."

"If the FBI, for instance, had a FISA court order of some sort for surveillance, would that be information you would know?" Chuck Todd asked.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/former-dni-james-clapper-no-fisa-order-trump-tower

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. REGARDLESS if there was a wiretap Obama did NOT order it.

Here we fucking go again, it is Kerry is a traitor and W is a war hero all over again.

[Hortensis]

16. This is a blatant right-wing lie. Forget the "regardless."

The claim is that Obama was spying on Trump. Distant chance that some rogue in the intelligence community could have, but extremely unlikely, and that's not the claim. Note that the nutso-wing radio host who started this is backing off, no longer has "proof" and is "not Nostrodamus."

"Neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen."[/div

I really miss the security of having a balanced and principled president. But it's fine with me if we investigate.

[randr]

2. If Trump actually found a wiretap it was in all probability put there by the Russians

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Good meme, though I doubt tRump found anything. . . . nt

[randr]

13. At this point he could produce a rats nest of wires and his minions would taste blood

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. tRump found it!

[CincyDem]

3. Leaves open the possibility that the tap was on the other end of the conversation. n/t

[PSPS]

8. Or there was no wiretap at all and this is just another trump deflection/projection

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Exactly. We'll get story back to Russia Scandal. Despite diversion tomorrow: immigration ExecOrder

[riversedge]

4. BREAKING: Former DNI James Clapper: I Can Deny Wiretap of Trump Tower

I was just going to post this---so will put it in anyway






BREAKING
Politics
Mar 5 2017, 10:14 am ET


Former DNI James Clapper: ‘I Can Deny’ Wiretap of Trump Tower



http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/former-dni-james-clapper-i-can-deny-wiretap-trump-tower-n729261

by Kailani Koenig

WASHINGTON — Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Sunday denied any suggestion that Trump Tower communications were wiretapped before the election.

For the part of the national security apparatus that he oversaw, "there was no such wiretap activity mounted against the president, the president-elect at the time, or as a candidate, or against his campaign," Clapper told Chuck Todd in an exclusive interview on Sunday's "Meet The Press."
[Clapper: 'I Can Deny' Wiretap of Trump Tower]
Clapper: 'I Can Deny' Wiretap of Trump Tower 1:10

When Todd asked him whether he could confirm or deny if a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Act) order for this existed, Clapper declared, "I can deny it."

Asked again whether there was a FISA Court order to monitor Trump Tower, Clapper said, "Not to my knowledge."

Clapper said that if any wiretap like that occurred, he would "certainly hope" that he would be aware of it. .............................

[pecosbob]

5. Classic disinformation

Accuse your opponents of your misdeeds, failings or faults.

[keithbvadu2]

6. Wait for it! It's going to be GOP pimp James O'Keefe bungling another wiretap.

Wait for it! It's going to be GOP pimp James O'Keefe bungling another wiretap.

[DURHAM D]

7. The part Clapper left out -

"But naturally we were monitoring all the Russians and all Russian banking activity"

[rzemanfl]

9. Of course there would not be a warrant for A BUILDING.

The warrant would be directed at a "U.S. person" or persons.

[wishstar]

10. Clapper is the one guy who would know- This should help to debunk Trump's lying accusation

[yallerdawg]

15. We need a FISA court order to listen in when an American gets on the line?

Does Britain? Does Germany? Does Israel? Does Canada?

Do Russian hackers? Do Russian kompromat officers? Do dead Russians accused of treason?

Does our intelligence community interact with over many, many other foreign government intelligence agencies and "leakers" of every variety?

Obama? What a joke.

[pnwmom]

17. Does this rule out a wiretap of communications between the Alfa bank server

and unnamed persons in the US? (which is what some reports have said.)

[madville]

18. In the same interview he says there was no collusion found between Trump campaign and Russians

So he is also supporting the idea that all the Russian claims are baseless as well.

And there was the time he "forgot" about the Patriot Act.

And the time he stated under oath that there was no data being collected on US citizens (until the Snowden leaks of course, then he had to revise his testimony).

And the time he stated the all the weapons of mass destruction were moved out of Iraq shortly before the war started.