The acting director of national intelligence has reportedly declassified the list of Obama administration officials who “unmasked” Gen. Michael Flynn’s contact with the Russian ambassador.
According to reports on ABC News and other news networks, Richard Grenell gave the list of former officials to the Justice Department last week.
Fox News reported similarly Monday evening.
The Obama administration reportedly learned of Flynn’s conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak when he was incoming national security adviser through the process of “unmasking.”
Flynn had charges of lying to the FBI about those conversations dropped last week.
U.S. law permits the intelligence agencies to spy on Mr. Kislyak or other foreigners. But when those foreign official speaks with U.S. citizens, the American’s identity is “masked” and officials need good and specified reason to “unmask” it.
For years, Trump supporters have charged the Obama administration with abusing its powers to concoct the basis for investigations that could bring down President Trump
Attorney General William P. Barr said last week that he had received new information about the FBI’s conduct in the Flynn investigation showed that the agency “did not have a basis for a counterintelligence investigation against Flynn at that stage, based on a perfectly legitimate and appropriate call he made as a member of the transition.”
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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