Clapper: Unmasking ‘Is Not at All Nefarious’ — It Was ‘Appropriate’ in Flynn Case

Wednesday on SiriusXM’s “The Joe Madison Show” former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said unmasking was appropriately used in the Michael Flynn case.

Host, Joe Madison asked, “What concerns you about what happened yesterday with the president labeling this as Obamagate and saying that what you and others who are on a list who saw this unmasking that it was nefarious. What concerns you most of all about this issue?”

Clapper said, “Well, I think creating that exact narrative as though this was something illegitimate or inappropriate when it is actually a very, very useful tool available to national security officials. And I know that officials in the current administration are using it to a fairly well actually much more than the previous administration. So they too must recognize that this is a valuable tool that serves the national security interests of the United States. It’s not at all nefarious. And the unmasking is occasioned by the interest, the objective of trying to minimize the identity of U.S. persons and restrict that access as much as possible. That’s why the program is designed the way it is. So it’s a legitimate, appropriate and important national security tool.”

Madison asked, “So we’re all rules followed as it relates to this?”

Clapper said, “Absolutely, and General Nakasone the current Director of the National Security Agency, makes that point. And it is an explanatory note connected with the release of the names. And so he makes that point that the people that receive these reports were authorized recipients and that the appropriate procedures were complied with.”

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