Rand Paul demands to know if he was surveilled by the Obama admin during the 2016 election

Last week, a report circulated which indicated "the Obama administration conducted more than 35,000 searches on NSA intercepts seeking information about Americans during the divisive 2016 election year."

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"Incidental" surveillance

Obviously, the biggest fish caught in the "incidental surveillance" net was President Donald Trump. The former administration has been claiming that Trump was never targeted, he was just surveilled due to associations with others. Now, one U.S Senator is looking to test the veracity of that assertion - at least as it pertains to his own presidential bid. Senator Rand Paul is demanding to know if he was the subject of similarly "incidental" surveillance, and has submitted a formal request to the President and Intel communities in an effort to find out:

Did the Obama admin go after presidential candidates, members of Congress, journalists, clergy, lawyers, fed judges? https://t.co/h7rsjvNLHM

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 5, 2017

Did the Obama admin use warrantless "wiretapping" on other candidates besides @realDonaldTrump? https://t.co/h7rsjvNLHM

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 5, 2017

I have formally requested from the WH and the Intel Committees info on whether I was surveilled by Obama admin and or the Intel community!

— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 5, 2017

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This could get ...interesting. All along, Obama officials have been desperate to sell the idea that their surveillance activities were completely above-board. The unmasking scandal showed that they probably weren't but, if you could prove that other 2016 candidates suffered the same fate as team Trump, you'd have a solid case to support accusations of political targeting. Senator Paul is not a guy to make a move like this lightly. If he's making this decision public, it's a safe bet that he's already heard rumblings of something going on behind the scenes. We shall see...

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