The top-rated cable news character, who accused the National Security Agency of spying on him last year, commented during an interview Friday with Utah GOP Rep. Chris Stewart. The congressman has submitted legislation to better protect U.S. citizens from domestic surveillance activities.
Carlson said he's "spoken directly to two sitting members of Congress" entrusted with managing the intelligence community, and he heard they "were being spied on by the intel agencies, and they didn’t do anything about it."
A CRYING SHAME: PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS FORCE USC TO CANCEL PRIMARY GRADUATION EVENT
He did not cite any names, but Carlson did say, "I wonder how many members of Congress are too intimidated to push back the powers of these agencies?"
REPUBLICAN SENATORS EXPOSE DARK SIDE OF 'FOOD DELIVERY' ECONOMICS
Stewart, a Republican from Utah and member of the House Intelligence Committee, said, "I guess we're going to find out."
Just what is being argued here is ambiguous. There is precedent for U.S. intelligence officials admitting to spying on members of Congress. Then-CIA Director John Brennan admitted his agency did snoop on Senate staffers in 2014 after previously denying it. There are also darker situations.
AMERICA'S BIRTHRATE CONTINUES TO PLUMMET - ARE MILLENNIALS TRADING DIAPERS FOR DEGREES?
Carlson made headlines last summer when he accused the NSA of "spying" on him to take his show off the air. The Fox News host's communications were said to be about scheduling an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
SEE TO BELIEVE: COMING SOON TO A KID'S DRAG SHOW NEAR YOU...(WATCH)
The NSA published a rare public statement June 29 saying Carlson was "never" a target of the agency and denied a plot to get Carlson's show taken off the air. However, the statement did not prevent the possibility that any communications were incidentally gathered or Carlson's name being unmasked by some official in the Biden administration.
ARE THERE MORE? 'GILGO BEACH' MURDERS CASE EXPANDS WITH NEW SEARCH
Sources told the Record that Carlson's identity was disclosed through a process known as "unmasking," which is when the names of U.S. citizens that are mentioned but covered up in final intelligence reports about the surveillance of foreigners are revealed upon the request of authorized officials, who can ask for the disclosures, often to understand the information better.
HARVEY WEINSTEIN'S CONVICTION OVERTURNED IN NEW YORK! WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE DISGRACED MOVIE MOGUL?
“For the NSA to unmask Tucker Carlson or any journalist attempting to secure a newsworthy interview is entirely unacceptable and raises serious questions about their activities as well as their original denial, which was wildly misleading,” a Fox News spokesperson told the news outlet in July.
MSNBC'S CHRIS HAYES DELETED TWEET SPARKS A SH*T SHOW
In August, the inspector general for the NSA announced an investigation into claims that the agency targeted a member of the press. Stewart's bill, introduced last week, would make two changes to the National Security Act of 1947.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT THROWS WEIGHT BEHIND TEXAS REP. AMIDST PARTY INFIGHTING
"First, it will add a new section that explicitly bans the IC from conducting any surveillance activity that is unrelated to foreign intelligence or counterintelligence. Second, it will clarify terms used in the National Security Act to remove ambiguities, which have been claimed by certain authorities of the IC. Namely, it limits 'intelligence' to mean only 'foreign intelligence and counterintelligence,'" he said in a statement.
Discover alternative ideas that will make you think
Engage in mind bending debate
Earn points, rise in rank, have fun
