Florida Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) joined a group of House Republicans sending a letter to the National Security Agency (NSA) demanding information about allegations the agency illegally spied on Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The group also included controversial Representatives Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The letter calls on the NSA to provide them with information about allegations that the agency was spying on Carlson in regards to communication with U.S.-based Kremlin intermediaries pertaining to a potential interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Axios reported. The Axios report referenced two sources “familiar with Carlson’s communications.”
The letter called for the following information:
- “A detailed description of the “limited exceptions” that would permit the NSA to target a US citizen without a court order, as the Agency understands the term as it is used in its own tweet.
- A detailed description of what constitutes an “emergency” that would permit the NSA to target a US citizen without a court order, as the Agency understands the term as used in its own tweet.
- A detailed description of “the foreign activities that could harm the United States”, as the Agency understands the phrase as used in its own tweet.
- A full explanation of when the Agency understands it is lawful to monitor, surveil, collect, unmask, or receive data on a US citizen without a court order explicitly authorizing such targeting, including while conducted in the course of targeting foreign powers.
- A detailed description of how the Agency defines “domestic terrorist” and when its mission could extend to targeting foreign powers who are corresponding with individuals defined as such.
- A detailed description of your understanding of the term “clandestine intelligence activities.”
- What specific actions have been taken to hold accountable those who unmasked, approved unmasking, or shared information on unmasked U.S. citizens?”
“Spying, unmasking, and leaking the private communications of American citizens weaponizes our intelligence agencies, and this abuse of power must stop. Protecting national security is not only about deterring enemy threats, but it also involves safeguarding our liberties,” Posey said.
For the better part of two weeks, Carlson — the highest-rated host on Fox — has repeatedly claimed that the Biden administration was spying on him.
Fox pointedly has not covered his claims on its newscasts, even though such an intrusion would normally be a significant news story. Fox has not shown any outward signs of investigating Carlson’s claims.
Carlson originally attributed his information to a “whistleblower within the U.S. government who reached out to warn us.” He said, “the NSA, the National Security Agency, is monitoring our electronic communications and is planning to leak them to take this show off the air.” However, Carlson, has offered no proof of his allegations.
The NSA issued a statement saying Carlson is not the target of any investigation and that the agency had no intention of forcing him off the air. One week later, Carlson claimed that Biden’s NSA has leaked the contents of his emails to other members of the media.
Suzanne Scott, the network’s chief executive, and Jay Wallace, the network’s president, have not issued any statements of public support for Carlson, nor have they condemned the NSA for the massive abuse of power Carlson alleges. Lachlan and Rupert Murdoch, who control Fox Corporation, have also been silent on the matter.
