Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said that members of former President Barack Obama’s administration could have committed “a serious abuse of power” by unmasking Gen. Mike Flynn’s phone conversations and questioned what Obama knew about the surveillance.
Acting Director of U.S. National Intelligence Richard Grenell released a report Wednesday showing that members of Obama’s administration, including then-Vice President Joe Biden and then-FBI director James Comey, were involved in Flynn‘s unmasking Wednesday.
In a press conference Wednesday, Paul criticized the unmasking.
“This is incredibly troubling and shocking, that the previous administration, under President Obama, under Vice President Biden’s specific instruction, was eavesdropping on an American — an American advisor to the next president,” Paul said. “If Vice President Biden and the president’s inner circle of advisors were all listening to a senior Trump advisor’s personal phone conversation, this would amount to a serious abuse of power. The only question remains is ‘What did President Obama know, and when did he know it?'”
Sen. Rand Paul: “We now know at the very least Vice President Biden was in this up to his eyeballs.” pic.twitter.com/CUztQG2LrL
— The Hill (@thehill) May 13, 2020
“Each of these officials need to be asked if and when they discussed this information with President Obama, and what he advised they do with the information,” the Kentucky senator continued. (RELATED: ‘President Obama Is In The Middle Of This’: Rand Paul Weighs In On Michael Flynn Case)
Paul further announced that he is inviting Grenell to testify in the Senate.
Yesterday I wrote to DNI @RichardGrenell requesting the names of those who were involved in Gen Flynn’s unmasking. Today I received the shocking reply that @JoeBiden and many others knew! What did President Obama know? I am inviting DNI Grenell to testify next week in the Senate pic.twitter.com/IHpGjeVWwM
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 13, 2020