Constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley responded with concern to the release of a newly unclassified memo documenting the list of Obama administration officials who requested that former Trump national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn be unmasked.
“It should be a matter of concern that the Obama Administration conducted such surveillance and investigation of the opposing party with no strong evidence of collusion,” Turley, a self-proclaimed liberal who served as a witness during the impeachment proceedings against President Trump, said in a Twitter thread. “The unmasking requests only magnify concerns over the use of national security means for such investigations.”
“Joe Biden was one of those who unmasked Flynn during the investigation,” Turley added. “Biden was just on the air first denying any knowledge of the investigation and then saying ‘I was aware that…they asked for an investigation, but that’s all I know about it.’ Unmasking is fairly uncommon.”
“Numerous Obama officials demanded the unmasking. Notably, the testimony of various Obama officials was recently released showing that every one said that they never saw any evidence of actual collusion with the Russians. Yet, the media is dismissive of the implications.”
It should be a matter of concern that the Obama Administration conducted such surveillance and investigation of the opposing party with no strong evidence of collusion. The unmasking requests only magnify concerns over the use of national security means for such investigations.
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) May 13, 2020
A memo obtained by the Washington Examiner on Wednesday showed that former Vice President Joe Biden and other high-level Obama administration officials requested Flynn be unmasked during the final weeks of the administration.
The memo, declassified by acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, shows Biden received information in response to an unmasking request at least once, but it is not known whether he’s the one who made the request or if he reviewed the information.
Sixteen individuals received information related to unmasking requests, including former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, and former Obama chief of staff Denis McDonough.
Republicans on Capitol Hill pounced on the news, including Sen. Rand Paul, who immediately called for Senate hearings.
“Yesterday I wrote to DNI @RichardGrenell requesting the names of those who were involved in Gen Flynn’s unmasking,” Paul tweeted. “Today I received the shocking reply that @JoeBiden and many others knew! What did President Obama know? I am inviting DNI Grenell to testify next week in the Senate”
Yesterday I wrote to DNI @RichardGrenell requesting the names of those who were involved in Gen Flynn’s unmasking. Today I received the shocking reply that @JoeBiden and many others knew! What did President Obama know? I am inviting DNI Grenell to testify next week in the Senate pic.twitter.com/IHpGjeVWwM
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 13, 2020
Biden initially denied knowing anything about the unmasking in a Tuesday interview but changed his tune in the same interview moments later.
Flynn’s defenders maintain that he was the victim of abuse when he was unmasked by U.S. officials and that his phone calls with a Russian ambassador in late 2016 were improperly revealed and then weaponized via leaks to the press, which lead to his dismissal.
Leaking unmasking information for political gain is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
