‘’’REVIEW OF RELEASED SUSAN RICE TRANSCRIPTS’’’
I read every word of the Susan Rice transcript newly released. Frankly, I was surprised that many places were still covered for security reasons. No earthshattering reveals.
In general: Starts with her two roles and type of intelligence from NSA to UN ambassador.
• Repeatedly states she was ask briefer if she wanted to know a name (didn’t like term unmasking), and briefer seemingly would return the name to her in person. The document would not be given again with names revealed. So her briefings released would not reveal unmasked names.
Gowdy pressed her on this point of leaking after unmasked, page 91
Rice: But I haven’t seen a connection established there
Gowdy: …you know, ostensibly is part of what the committee is doing. You were very forceful, because I wrote down your answer:Never done it, not appropriate, harmful to the countryso I am not asking you. Are you aware of anyone that has disseminated classified information to unauthorized consumer?
Rice: No. And if I were, I probably would have reported it.
Rice did not leave a paper trail. According to her testimony“When I made a request for the identity of a US person, I did so one-on-one with my briefer. There were no records that I kept or that I’m aware of that anybody in the WH would have capacity to create, because nobody else, beyond me and my briefer, knew what I had asked for.
• Find this quite telling regarding Trump and his people talking to foreigners and not being interested in meeting with Obama now that he was outgoing.
Rice:And that he was not being succeeded by the person they expected him to be succeeded by.
• Rice goes on and on about how Trump administration incoming did not function as any other administration normally would have.
Trump people – such as General Flynn – were directly beginning to make contacts with and meeting foreigner during the transition and several times the foreigner would not also meet with current Obama administration.
Rice complained with such comments more than once:
“we had ample reason for concern” because Trump transition people were communicating with “foreigners about policy in a way that is clearly antithetical to the sitting administration’s policy.” And “it is even more concerning if they are doing so secretly”
“one administration at one time” “one government at a time”
“a big mash-up, a big mess, not of our making”
“Flynn was pursuing backchannels for conversations with foreigners” ALARMED HER as UNAMERICAN.
“She had to chase Flynn down to meet with him” (evidently he did not seek her out)
• Rice also claims that she was unaware of FBI and Justice Dept activity because “anything to do with law enforcement, criminal stuff was the White House Counsel.”
Also she was not to her knowledge aware of any unlawful intelligence collection or listening in to Trump campaign or conversations.
• Rice claims “And I have no idea what the hell a political unmasking is.” And “I don’t know how one would use that information for a political purpose”
One quite interesting comment between page 91 and top of 92. Exchange between Rice and Conaway regarding ‘unmasking of citizen in different circumstances’
• In Rice opinion the integrity or work product of James Comey was “unquestioned”.
Mr. Conaway: (covered beginning of question)… one, would you have normally have said, who was that citizen? Would you have asked for an unmasking of that citizen in that circumstance?
Rice: It depends on the substance of the conversation. If it looked like it was casual…
Conway:If he’s calling for a pizza, I got that
Rice: If he was talking about US national security issues, I probably would have.
‘’’SAUCE’’’ https://www.dni.gov/files/HPSCI_Transcripts/2020-05-04-Susan_Rice-MTR_Redacted.pdf