Changes

*'''20 March.''' '''Comey public testimony'''. James Comey finally confirms to Congress the Trump team and Donald Trump were and are now under [[counterintelligence]] investigation. {{Quotebox|"I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, and that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts. As with any counterintelligence investigation, this will also include an assessment of whether any crimes were committed."}} Comey withheld three quarterly required notifications to Congress under the advise and consent clause that the Obama administration was violating the [[Fourth Amendment]] and surveiling American citizens under the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]].

*'''20 March.''' '''Comey public testimony'''. James Comey finally confirms to Congress the Trump team and Donald Trump were and are now under [[counterintelligence]] investigation. {{Quotebox|"I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, and that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia’s efforts. As with any counterintelligence investigation, this will also include an assessment of whether any crimes were committed."}} Comey withheld three quarterly required notifications to Congress under the advise and consent clause that the Obama administration was violating the [[Fourth Amendment]] and surveiling American citizens under the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]].

*Comey admits to Congress he intentionally withheld notification to the [[Gang of Eight]] (Congressional oversight board) of a counter-intelligence investigation that began in July 2016 citing recommendation of [[Bill Priestap]], Asst. Director of Counter Intelligence.<ref>https://youtu.be/HlXXZQgh72Y</ref> Priestap is married to Sabina Menshell a self-employed “consultant” with a donor history to Hillary Clinton and other Democrats.

:*Comey admits to Congress he intentionally withheld notification to the [[Gang of Eight]] (Congressional oversight board) of a counter-intelligence investigation that began in July 2016 citing recommendation of [[Bill Priestap]], Asst. Director of Counter Intelligence.<ref>https://youtu.be/HlXXZQgh72Y</ref> Priestap is married to Sabina Menshell a self-employed “consultant” with a donor history to Hillary Clinton and other Democrats.

*Comey testified that he did not fulfill his statutory requirement to report to congressional oversight that he was investigating presidential candidate Donald Trump for nine months because the FBI Director of Counterintelligence, Bill Priestap, suggested he not do so.<ref>https://youtu.be/HlXXZQgh72Y</ref><ref>STEFANIK: So if that's quarterly...

:*Comey testified that he did not fulfill his statutory requirement to report to congressional oversight that he was investigating presidential candidate Donald Trump for nine months because the FBI Director of Counterintelligence, Bill Priestap, suggested he not do so.<ref>https://youtu.be/HlXXZQgh72Y</ref><ref>STEFANIK: So if that's quarterly...

COMEY: ... to brief them before Congress is briefed.

COMEY: ... to brief them before Congress is briefed.

COMEY: Because of the sensitivity of the matter.  

COMEY: Because of the sensitivity of the matter.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/03/20/full-transcript-fbi-director-james-comey-testifies-on-russian-interference-in-2016-election/?utm_term=.15b842f9b99e</ref>

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/03/20/full-transcript-fbi-director-james-comey-testifies-on-russian-interference-in-2016-election/?utm_term=.15b842f9b99e</ref>

*Comey confirms Barack Obama, Loretta Lynch, Sally Yates, [[Susan Rice]], John Brennan, and James Clapper all had access to sensitive wiretap information which contained the name of Trump [[National Security Advisor]] Michael Flynn. Comey was uncertain if [[Ben Rhodes]], a National Security Council aide, had access. Leaking to the press the identity of Flynn is a [[felony]] because the information was part of a confidential intelligence gathering operation and the information had been “masked” to protect Flynn's identity.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/20/while-questioning-fbis-comey-gowdy-accuses-obama-team-leaks-no-proof/99412100/</ref>  

:*Comey confirms Barack Obama, Loretta Lynch, Sally Yates, [[Susan Rice]], John Brennan, and James Clapper all had access to sensitive wiretap information which contained the name of Trump [[National Security Advisor]] Michael Flynn. Comey was uncertain if [[Ben Rhodes]], a National Security Council aide, had access. Leaking to the press the identity of Flynn is a [[felony]] because the information was part of a confidential intelligence gathering operation and the information had been “masked” to protect Flynn's identity.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/20/while-questioning-fbis-comey-gowdy-accuses-obama-team-leaks-no-proof/99412100/</ref>  

*FBI investigation includes a [[Breitbart]], InfoWars, and other news sites.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article139695453.html#storylink=cpy</ref>

:*FBI investigation includes a [[Breitbart]], InfoWars, and other news sites.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article139695453.html#storylink=cpy</ref>

*Dir. Comey was further asked about '''purported claims Russia hacked into DNC servers: “Well, we never got direct access to the machines themselves...The DNC in the spring of 2016 hired a firm [CrowdStrike] that ultimately shared with us their forensics''' from their review of the system.” Dir. Rogers also stated the NSA never asked for access to the DNC hardware: “The NSA didn’t ask for access. That’s not in our job.”

:*Dir. Comey was further asked about '''purported claims Russia hacked into DNC servers: “Well, we never got direct access to the machines themselves...The DNC in the spring of 2016 hired a firm [CrowdStrike] that ultimately shared with us their forensics''' from their review of the system.” Dir. Rogers also stated the NSA never asked for access to the DNC hardware: “The NSA didn’t ask for access. That’s not in our job.”

*FBI Director Comey says classified leaks to the media have been "unusually active" recently.<ref>https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/843876462113554437</ref>  

:*Comey says classified leaks to the media have been "unusually active" recently.<ref>https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/843876462113554437</ref>

 

:*Comey says Obama's White House had the ability to "unmask" American citizens.<ref>https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/843881258593796098</ref>

*NSA Dir. Rogers tells Congress unmasking individuals endangers national security.<ref>https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/843867194954076161</ref>  

*NSA Dir. Rogers tells Congress unmasking individuals endangers national security.<ref>https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/843867194954076161</ref>  

*Chairman Nunes asked anyone with information about the matters before the committee to come forward.  

*Chairman Nunes asked anyone with information about the matters before the committee to come forward.