Tucker Carlson sought interview with Putin at time of NSA spying claim - Axios
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Tucker Carlson was talking to U.S.-based Kremlin intermediaries about setting up an interview with Vladimir Putin shortly before the Fox News host accused the National Security Agency of spying on him, sources familiar with the conversations tell Axios.
Why it matters: Those sources said U.S. government officials learned about Carlson's efforts to secure the Putin interview. Carlson learned that the government was aware of his outreach — and that's the basis of his extraordinary accusation, followed by a rare public denial by the NSA that he had been targeted.
- Axios has not confirmed whether any communications from Carlson have been intercepted, and if so, why.
The big picture: Carlson's charges instantly became a cause celebre on the right, which feasted on the allegation that one of America's most prominent conservatives might have been monitored by the U.S. intelligence community.
The backstory: Carlson told his roughly 3 million viewers on June 28 that the day before, he had heard "from a whistleblower within the U.S. government who reached out to warn us that the NSA … is monitoring our electronic communications and is planning to leak them in an attempt to take this show off the air."
- Carlson said his source, "who is in a position to know, repeated back to us information about a story that we are working on that could have only come directly from my texts and emails."
- "It's illegal for the NSA to spy on American citizens," Carlson added. "Things like that should not happen in America. But unfortunately, they do happen. And in this case, they did happen."
- The NSA said in a tweet the next night, as Carlson's show went on the air, that his "allegation is untrue."
- "Tucker Carlson has never been an intelligence target of the Agency and the NSA has never had any plans to try to take his program off the air," the statement said.
A Fox News spokesperson gave this response to our reporting: "We support any of our hosts pursuing interviews and stories free of government interference."
- And Carlson gave this statement: "As I've said repeatedly, because it's true, the NSA read my emails, and then leaked their contents. That's an outrage, as well as illegal."
It is unclear why Carlson, or his source, would think this outreach could be the basis for NSA surveillance or a motive to have his show canceled.
- Journalists routinely reach out to world leaders — including the leaders of countries that are not allied with the U.S. — to request interviews. And it's not unusual to first reach out through unofficial intermediaries rather than through the leaders' official press offices.
- Numerous American journalists have interviewed Putin in recent years, and none have faced professional repercussions. Quite the contrary: Chris Wallace earned Fox News its first Emmy nomination for his 2018 Putin interview.
On Wednesday, Carlson told Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business that only his executive producer knew about the communications in question and that he didn't mention it to anybody else, including his wife.
- But, of course, the recipients of Carlson's texts and emails also knew about their content. And we don't know how widely they shared this information.
Between the lines: The NSA's public statement didn't directly deny that any Carlson communications had been swept up by the agency.
- Axios submitted a request for comment to the NSA on Wednesday, asking whether the agency would also be willing to categorically deny that the NSA intercepted any of Carlson's communications in the context of monitoring somebody he was talking to in his efforts to set up an interview with Putin.
- An NSA spokesperson declined to comment and referred Axios back to the agency's earlier, carefully worded, statement. In other words, the NSA is denying the targeting of Carlson but is not denying that his communications were incidentally collected.
What's next: Experts say there are several plausible scenarios — including legal scenarios — that could apply.
- The first — and least likely — scenario is that the U.S. government submitted a request to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor Carlson to protect national security.
- A more plausible scenario is that one of the people Carlson was talking to as an intermediary to help him get the Putin interview was under surveillance as a foreign agent.
- In that scenario, Carlson's emails or text messages could have been incidentally collected as part of monitoring this person, but Carlson's identity would have been masked in any intelligence reports.
- In order to know that the texts and emails were Carlson's, a U.S. government official would likely have to request his identity be unmasked, something that's only permitted if the unmasking is necessary to understand the intelligence.
In a third scenario, interceptions might not have involved Carlson's communications. The U.S. government routinely monitors the communications of people in Putin's orbit, who may have been discussing the details of Carlson's request for an interview.
- But under this scenario, too, Carlson's identity would have been masked in reports as part of his protections as a U.S. citizen, and unmasking would only be permitted if a U.S. government official requested that his identity be unmasked in order to understand the intelligence. And it's not clear why that would be necessary here.
The intrigue: Two sources familiar with Carlson's communications said his two Kremlin intermediaries live in the United States, but the sources could not confirm whether both are American citizens or whether both were on U.S. soil at the time they communicated with Carlson.
- This is relevant because if one of them was a foreign national and on foreign soil during the communications, the U.S. government wouldn't necessarily have had to seek approval to monitor their communications.
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The message is clear: Yes we are reading your e-mails - what are you going to do about it?
The NSA in the era of the left.
It's funny watching the left make light of this after whining like little bitches for 4 years about the Trumps Admin alleged spying incidents.
It never ceases to amaze how exponential their hypocrisy can get. Every time you think it can't go any higher it keeps climbing.
It speaks to character. Or i should say complete lack of it ....
Remember how they denounced J Edgar Hoover for it?
Projection, deflection, denial.
All you got.
You need a new schtick. Or is this "all you got"?
It is…
It would be nice if Tucker stopped whining long enough to convince many of his listeners to get vaccinated. His sky is falling shtick isn't saving any lives.
It's Biden's job to to see to it that everyone is vaccinated.
Why would Putin waste his time with that hack.
He wouldn't.
A Democrat is in office ..... Big Brother is back in town.
MOFA
You need to get yourself one of these:
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[Deleted,] Most of them are still so triggered by Trump they spaz out thinking it's a MAGA hat. They really start stuttering and vibrating when you point out what it really says. Many of them don't even understand the context.
Those are the true useful idiots .... almost all of them.
I like it!
I wanted to ask this question yesterday on another seed and I couldn't. So I'll ask you:
Suppose we had a leftist dentist and a patient walked in wearing either that hat or the MAGA hat. What kind of drilling job do you think they would get?
It is a bit of a scary thought.
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It is. I for one pray for their poor souls. So much anger held in their hearts. One can only hope much of what you read here is just because of the impersonal nature of blogs like this. It's like being on the grade school playground again except it's not face to face and there are fewer potential ramifications for acting up.
Lots of egos around here are still stuck in the playground ....
Speaking of that, I always kind of knew back then that my generation would never be like the great generation that produced them. I guess we can blame it on the way they were spoiled and the trust that was placed on college professors.
Meh, i think each generation has it's own moments. Real Americans tend to step up when needed.
Not sure about this current generation though. Help wanted signs everywhere, rioting, looting, sloth .....
Plz define what a "real American" is. Someone who is willing to sacrifice for their country? Someone who works to ensure that all Americans can enjoy equal opportunity? Someone who believes in the DOI when it says, "all men are created equal?" Someone who believes that all Americans need to have competent representation in State and Federal Gov't? someone who believes in the words:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
I'm a "real American," I subscribe to those ideals I listed above. F&*k U and your ewe if you don't!
You are a generous man.
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
A professional one.
They would get as good a job as any other client and I don't think you can wear a hat in the chair.
If you have a good dentist it would not make any difference
Excuse me, the huge chip on your shoulder is showing.
My comment is self explanatory to any folks who aren't already triggered.
Hope that helps ....
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Projection
Projection.
... for sure
To our readers:
Notice comments # 2 & 3. Neither addresses the issue of an American citizen being spied on. It is frightening.
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Projection.
I guess they feel they are just too damn close to transforming the country they obviously don't like. So close, that the ends justify the means.
Some Americans will never appreciate America, until after they have helped destroy it and have then begun to suffer the consequences.
Sadly they are the definition of blissfully ignorant. Look no further than this thread for proof of that.
No worries though. Many of them live in true shit-holes like Portland, Baltimore or Chicago. They are working on burning all that shit down as we speak
Many will be lucky to survive the summer culling of 2021
trumpturd almost succeeded in doing just that. Tried to burn it all down before he waddled out the door.
Projection.
Sadly true.
And they'll be the first ones bitching about the circumstances that they brought on themselves.
Fucking hypocrites, nothing more ....
No, it's not.
You seem to live a sheltered life with blinders on because of your pure hate for the man. Pretty sad actually. There were tens of millions upon tens of millions of people who would disagree with you.
Projection
[removed]
Fact
Nope.
Still a fact, and denial is futile.
Unless you have some facts to link to?
It didn't happen. What's so frightening about it?
I just think it is comical that you are complaining now, when it came out donald was looking into people of congress.
So it must be equally as comical to you that many here are making light of this when related to Tucker right?
Or is this the typical kooky left wing TDS exception to the rule?
Did a government agency spy on American citizens for Trump?
Tucker was never spied on. How ridiculous.
How come the NSA can't say that?
So instead of acknowledging the fact it is a tit for tat.
If it is wrong for one, it is wrong for another.
It wrong period.
Lol .... show a little good form and answer my questions please ..... or you can just keep deflecting like usual ....
To tell you the truth I think tucker is blowing it out of proportion.
Do you think you or I could try to contact the Kremlin or any Russian agency and the FBI would not be curious and look?
Agreed.
Do you think you or I could try to contact the Kremlin or any Russian agency and the FBI would not be curious and look?
Isn't it amazing how that little fact is over looked by the Right.
Could be but you or i don't know that for sure one way or the other
So in your mind if you did something like that, you think Big Brother is justified to start monitoring all your communications without any further cause or reasons?
I won't wait for an answer to that question either since you still haven't answered my original ones. Just more deflection .... weak, very weak
What original question? That I am not upset because it was tucker?
Because I saw no real question. It seems to be you avoiding things that have been going on.
Believe me, big brother knows a lot more that we think. Blame the patriot act.
You actually think if I was trying to get in touch with the Kremlin the FBI should just look away? If I was communicating with the Taliban, they have no reason to look at my emails?
I read an article about this and it stated the only thing done wrong in the tucker case was that he was outed, when that is not suppose to happen.
5.3.1 had two questions. Not sure how you can read those two sentences as anything else
You are walking a very slippery slope trying to decide what is eavesdrop worthy and what isn't. I tend to err on the side of liberty. i argued against the patriot act from the beginning. Still do and we have seen how it can be abused ever since.
The NSA has no good cause to monitor any American simple because they contacted someone in Russian unless there is some other mitigating reason. Another mitigating reason might be that they are a Blackhat or on a terroist watch list. I don't call simply being a journalist a very good reason to infringe on someones civil liberties. I don't care who it is.
Still your two questions were non questions.
I am not deciding anything in case you haven't noticed. I don't know where you would get the idea I can decide who they look at.
As far as the patriot act, on that we can agree.
Eh, damned if you do, damned if you don't. Should communication with known terrorist groups be ignored...Same with a hostile foreign government.
Good gawd, they clearly are questions .... and i can say to that is MOFA
Some bullshit about tds is not a question. It is your way of insulting then trying to act like it was legitimate...
Standard procedure.
UH huh ... and the comment at 4.1.2?
Apparently they think government spying is OK
So a question, does Fucker Carlson have any, you know, evidence he was being spied on? Especially by the NSA?
Tucker doesn't need evidence, all he needs is a room full of Jonestowners swilling his Kool-Aid.
So everyone on the right just automatically believes little Fucker Carlson was spied on simply because he said so? He has exactly zero evidence. His claim is based on an unnamed source who is supposedly "in a position to know", and the fact that he claims he never told anyone. That's it, that is the extent of his evidence of supposed spying.
The NSA has said his "allegation is untrue" aka a big fat fucking lie manufactured to stir up nut job conspiracy theorist conservatives who already believe the government is spying on them and the lizard people and baby eating Democrats are ready to come take away their bibles and guns any minute.
"Tucker Carlson has never been an intelligence target of the Agency and the NSA has never had any plans to try to take his program off the air,"
If the NSA does have any of Carlson's communications with Russian agents they do not have them from monitoring Carlson, they have them from monitoring Russian agents which is their fucking job. Apparently some conservatives are simply Russian red from the head down to their yellow bellies and would rather trust an authoritarian adversary who assassinates dissidents, journalists, political opponents and defectors than our own NSA and other US Intelligence agencies.
No, not me at least but a whole pile of triggered lefties do automatically believe he wasn't with no proof. Look no further than this article for proof of that ignorance.
Ummm, no one on the left was triggered… seems like everyone is just calling Fucker a dumbass.
And just to be clear, you do know where the burden of proof lies right? He is making the claim, therefore he has to prove it. We can’t prove he wasn’t, you cannot prove a negative.
Tucker is capable of doing thoughtful news and analysis, but it seems more and more like he is in the business of getting people worked up over something for which there is little or no evidence. For a story like this, he needs to do a lot more leg work than has evidently been done here if he expects anyone other than his devoted audience to take him seriously.
Tucker ha always been in the business of getting gullible idiots worked up about nothing. As far as I can tell his entire career has been based on riling the dumbest members of our society.
that FOX audience is certainly a target rich environment for him then...