The House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday is interviewing Susan Rice, former Obama national security adviser, on her role in unmasking Trump campaign and transition team members, a source confirmed to Breitbart News.
Rice’s appearance was requested as part of the committee’s probe into unmasking — the practice of requesting the identities of American citizens who are swept up during in surveillance of foreign officials’ communications.
Americans’ identities are hidden to protect their privacy, but officials can request their identities, with the approval of a senior intelligence official.
In April, several news outlets revealed that Rice had unmasked Trump campaign and transition team members.
Rice has insisted that she did not do anything illegal. While unmasking is not legal, leaking classified intelligence to media outlets is.
The contents of a phone call in December between retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak were leaked to the Washington Post.
Although those communications were cleared of wrongdoing by the FBI, Flynn resigned since they conflicted with what he had told Vice President Michael Pence.
The Trump administration has faced seven times as many leaks as the two previous administrations, according to a recent Senate report. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has vowed to get to the bottom of leaks.
The House Intelligence committee’s investigation into unmasking is led by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), and is separate from the committee’s investigation into Russia meddling and any possible collusion with the Trump campaign.
Nunes recused himself from the Russian investigation, after progressive groups filed ethics complaints after the congressman went to the White House to view intelligence related to the probe.
The committee is also seeking to interview Samantha Power, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations as part of its unmasking probe.
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