Politics

Republicans Troubled By Potential Unmasking Of Congressmen By Obama Admin

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Kerry Picket Political Reporter
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WASHINGTON — Three Republican congressmen wrote the chairmen and ranking members of the intelligence committee of both chambers Tuesday on their concern that the Obama administration “unmasked” members of Congress and other Americans in surveillance reports for political purposes.

Tennessee Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn, New York Republican Rep. Chris Collins, and Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Lou Barletta wrote a letter to the leaders of the intelligence committees citing media reports related to Obama national security adviser Susan Rice that connect her to the unmasking of President Trump’s transition team.

“As members of the Trump transition, we are deeply troubled by these revelations. We demand that Ms. Rice be called to testify before Congress in order to discern her motivations for these actions. If true, her behavior appears negligent at best and criminal at worst,” the letter reads.

The letter continues, “Media reports indicating the possible ‘unmasking’ of Members of Congress and other Americans for political purposes during the course of intelligence sharing shocks the conscience.”

Rice denied that any unmasking of Americans occurred based on any political motivation.

“The allegation is that somehow the Obama administration officials utilized intelligence for political purposes,” Rice said in an interview with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell Tuesday. “That’s absolutely false.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr told reporters on Tuesday, “If the reports are right, then she will be of interest to us.”

“We can’t confirm anything, but it shows that something was definitely going on. It needs to be fully investigated.” Republican House Intelligence Committee member Peter King told The Daily Caller Monday night. “I would think she would need to come in explain her position.”

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