https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-and-other-obama-officials-received-unmasking-information-on-michael-flynn-declassified-records-show
Biden and other Obama officials received 'unmasking' information on Michael Flynn, declassified records show
by Jerry Dunleavy | May 13, 2020 02:16 PM | Updated May 13, 2020, 02:23 PM
Former Vice President Joe Biden and other top Obama officials received information in response to "unmasking" requests targeting retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn in the final weeks of the previous administration, according to a memo declassified by acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell.
The list, obtained by the Washington Examiner on Wednesday, shows Biden received information at least once in response to such an unmasking request on Jan. 12, 2017, but it is not clear whether he made the request or even looked at the information. Biden is now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in the 2020 contest for the White House.
The newly declassified records show that 16 individuals made unmasking requests related to the incoming Trump national security adviser, and the list shows which officials received that sensitive information. It was not immediately clear which individuals made the requests, but those who received the unmasking information were laid out chronologically.
Former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former FBI Director James Comey are all on the list.
The information was unearthed earlier in May by Gen. Paul Nakasone of the National Security Agency in response to a request from Grenell. The details were released by the top spy chief following requests by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
Republicans have alleged since 2017 that Obama-era officials improperly unmasked associates of then-candidate Donald Trump’s presidential campaign during the Russia investigation. Democrats have defended the intelligence-gathering process, arguing that the collection of identifying information is inevitable.
Unmasking occurs when U.S. intelligence agencies eavesdropping on foreigners sweep up communications with U.S. citizens in what is known as incidental collection. When the intelligence reporting is shared across the government, names of U.S. citizens are typically concealed or masked to protect their identities. The names can be unmasked, however, if U.S. officials make the request.
This is a developing story…