Michael Flynn’s role in Russian meddling of the 2016 presidential election was the center of conversation on Monday after former acting Attorney General Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified in a hearing.
Clapper and Yates were both prominent figures during the Obama administration and had significant roles in the anti-Trump campaigns.
But Clapper, specifically, made an unbelievable claim about Trump and Russian spying, and it certainly was bizarre.
Breitbart reports:
“Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper categorically denied any political or ‘voyeuristic’ motive to the “unmasking” of Trump campaign associates when he addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism Monday.
‘At no time did I ever submit a request for personal or political purposes or to voyeuristically look at raw intelligence, nor am I aware of any instances of such abuse by anyone else,’ Clapper told the Committee in his initial address.
The denial comes after suggestions of potential impropriety were levied against National Security Advisor Susan Rice as reports surfaced alleging that she had requested the identity of American nationals whose communications were intercepted by American intelligence agencies in the scope of the investigation into Russia’s suspected interference into the 2016 elections.
Monday’s hearing was held to discuss the investigation conducted by four U.S. intelligence agencies, and ordered in December by former President Barack Obama, into Russia’s attempts to influence the elections.
Clapper testified before the Judiciary Committee along with former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
Clapper was equally unequivocal in his characterization of that investigation’s findings.
He told the Committee that Russia engaged in a multi-pronged effort to influence the American presidential election.
Notably, he said that the investigation found that Russian agents had, in fact, released information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to ‘hacktivist’ organization WikiLeaks.
Clapper explained that Russia collected information certain Republican candidates for office but had not, to his knowledge, released any such information.”
Here’s what President Trump had to say about the Yates and Clapper hearing.
Director Clapper reiterated what everybody, including the fake media already knows- there is “no evidence” of collusion w/ Russia and Trump.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2017
Sally Yates made the fake media extremely unhappy today — she said nothing but old news!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2017
The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2017
Biggest story today between Clapper & Yates is on surveillance. Why doesn’t the media report on this? #FakeNews!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2017
We keep hearing about this supposed Trump-Russia connection, meanwhile numerous sources – even liberal – have made it clear that there is zero evidence.
Yet Trump is still somehow “connected” and Democrats have to believe this because they hate him. It’s just simple logic.