
Posted: 8:12 am Saturday, March 4th, 2017
By Jamie Dupree
After several days of intense questions that zeroed in on his campaign’s contacts with Russia, President Trump on Saturday morning leveled a staggering accusation at President Obama, accusing him of “wire tapping” Mr. Trump during the 2016 race.
“Is it legal for a sitting President to be “wire tapping” a race for president prior to an election?” Trump said in a series of early morning tweets from Mar-a-Lago, his Florida retreat.
“This is Nixon/Watergate,” Mr. Trump added, without providing any evidence of why he believes there was eavesdropping directed at him in 2016.
Here were some of the tweets that the President sent out this morning:
Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017
While the President gave out no supporting details, his mention of a wiretap, plus a court, could theoretically involve the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, FISA.
There were some stories circulating on the internet before the election – with no strong evidence to support – that a FISA warrant had been approved; it’s still not clear if that’s the case.
Given the president’s severe accusations this AM, aren’t all Americans entitled to see the evidence on which the FISA court acted?
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 4, 2017
It should be noted that if a FISA court did approve a wiretapping warrant – that would not be illegal – but it certainly would be a stunning new turn in the story of the 2016 election.
As President, Mr. Trump certainly has the authority to immediately de-classify any such evidence, and make it public.
Let's review where we are – 1) Trump in his morning series of tweets, said he was wiretapped in 2016 https://t.co/VeQZIU0LSM
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017
2) Trump refers to a court rejecting a wiretap against him. Stories have suggested FISA involved https://t.co/kWjVIMynFc
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017
3) Some like @LouiseMensch have been reporting this FISA angle for months https://t.co/E9iz5NJF8h
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017
4) But others have knocked down the Trump allegations today https://t.co/lU1trzthAu
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017
5) Others also don't seem to know about Trump charge against Obama https://t.co/pbWiTI4Jr2
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017
6) Obama spokesman doesn't directly confirm or deny on Trump, and there's some wiggle room in statement https://t.co/RHGQ4fqVmF
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017
7) So I can give you reporting that buttresses Trump claim of wiretap and give you reporting that knocks it down
— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) March 4, 2017

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