Obamagate unmaskings explained: “It’s not normal and typical”

Center President Fred Fleitz explained in an interview with One America News’ Liz Wheeler his first-hand experience in dealing with the type of unmaskings that are at issue in the case of General Michael Flynn. Fleitz noted that during his time as Chief of Staff for John Bolton, he “worked on 10 of his [Bolton’s] unmasking requests.” These requests were then turned into a scandal by the Democrats. When compared to the 53 unmasking requests made by 39 Obama administration officials between election day and January 12, 2017, these 10 requests pale in comparison.

“In your experience, since this is what you did, is what the Obama administration, like the mainstream media is saying, are the unmasking requests they made typical or not?” 

“It’s not normal and typical,” Fleitz said. Those backing the Obama administration’s handling of these unmasking requests cite thousands of these requests happening under the Trump administration. However, as Fleitz said, “there’s almost two million people with Top Secret clearances, they read millions and millions of pieces of intelligence a year, it’s actually not that many.”

Fleitz finished by explaining that in his nineteen years of service in the CIA, he did not become aware of the ability to request an unmasking until his thirteenth or fourteenth year with the Agency, providing first hand knowledge of how rare these requests really are.