Trump Takes the Gloves Off on Obamagate: 'No More Mr. Nice Guy'
President Donald Trump on Thursday called for former President Barack Obama to be hauled before a congressional committee to explain his role in unmasking former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
Unmasking is the intelligence term used for those instances in which American citizens speaking to foreign nationals who are under surveillance have their identities revealed via an official request.
In recent days, a list has been released naming the Obama administration officials who made unmasking requests during the period after the 2016 election but before Trump took office and who thus likely learned of Flynn’s identity through those requests.
Due to the presence on that list of former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and comments from the attorney currently representing Flynn, Obama’s name has now become linked to the effort to target Flynn.
On Thursday, Trump, who has dubbed the episode “Obamagate,” said it is time to ask Obama directly, under oath.
“If I were a Senator or Congressman, the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR, is former President Obama,” Trump tweeted.
“He knew EVERYTHING. Do it @LindseyGrahamSC, just do it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more talk!”
OBAMAGATE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2020
If I were a Senator or Congressman, the first person I would call to testify about the biggest political crime and scandal in the history of the USA, by FAR, is former President Obama. He knew EVERYTHING. Do it @LindseyGrahamSC, just do it. No more Mr. Nice Guy. No more talk!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2020
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a statement that pushed back against Trump’s wish.
“I am greatly concerned about the precedent that would be set by calling a former president for oversight. No president is above the law. However, the presidency has executive privilege claims against other branches of government,” Graham’s statement said.
“To say we are living in unusual times is an understatement,” Graham added.
“We have the sitting president (Trump) accusing the former president (Obama) of being part of a treasonous conspiracy to undermine his presidency. We have the former president suggesting the current president is destroying the rule of law by dismissing the General Flynn case. All of this is occurring during a major pandemic.”
“As to the Judiciary Committee, both presidents are welcome to come before the committee and share their concerns about each other. If nothing else it would make for great television. However, I have great doubts about whether it would be wise for the country,” Graham said.
Although Graham did not support calling on Obama to testify, he said that questions will be asked about Flynn’s unmasking.
“Our first phase will deal with the government’s decision to dismiss the Flynn case as well as an in-depth analysis of the unmasking requests made by Obama Administration officials against General Flynn. We must determine if these requests were legitimate,” he said.
“Finally, we will look at whether Robert Mueller should have ever been appointed as Special Counsel. Was there legitimate reason to conclude the Trump campaign had colluded with the Russians?”
I specifically want to know how many unmasking requests were made, if any, beyond General Flynn regarding members of the Trump campaign team, family, or associates.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 13, 2020
In a Thursday appearance on the Fox News morning program “Fox & Friends,” Graham left no doubt that Obama administration officials have some explaining to do.
Graham said unmasking Flynn should only have been done for clear national security reasons.
“Here is the concern: If you don’t have a national security reason, you’re basically spying on a political opponent,” he said.
“What is the national security reason to unmask Gen. Flynn in transition? I can’t think of one. But, I do believe, given their behavior, they’re looking to get rid of Flynn and if they used our intelligence apparatus to basically act on a political vendetta, that’s chilling to every American and would be very wrong.”
Graham said he believed top officials in the Obama administration “hated” Flynn and wanted to block his appointment.
“Was this an effort to undermine Flynn or to undermine national security? I talk to foreign leaders all the time about my differences with Obama’s foreign policy,” Graham said.
“If I found out they are listening to my conversation and reporting back to the White House what I am saying to foreign leaders, that violates the separation of powers. This is a big deal.”
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