Was Trump wiretapped? One tantalizing clue says YES

Did Obama spy on Trump during the election? On March 4, President Trump accused former president, Obama of spying on him. The allegations are unsupported but have sparked calls for an investigation and a heated public debate.

President Trump believes his office was wiretapped before the election.

Highlights

By Marshall Connolly (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
3/6/2017 (8 years ago)

Published in Politics & Policy

Keywords: Trump, Obama, wiretapped, FI

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- On March 4, President Trump Tweeted that he learned Obama wiretapped his office in Trump Tower before the election.

"Terrible!" President Trump tweeted, "Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!"

President Trump in a subsequent tweet made the connection between his concern and Watergate.

The problem with the tweet is that there is no evidence. And there isn't likely to be. If Obama had Trump's office wiretapped, the evidence would be gone. Wiretapping does not require the installation of physical equipment or the placement of spies and can be carried out by various means. Some of those means are likely to be untraceable.

This creates a conundrum for justice officials such as FBI Director James Comey, who has asked the Justice Department to deny Trump's allegations. Comey's request is virtually unprecedented but is likely intended to defuse the situation because nothing can be done about it.

Former Intelligence Director, James Clapper also denied he had any knowledge of an order to tap the Trump Tower.

There appears to be no basis for the order, and if such an order were given, it would have to come from Obama, and he would have to justify it.

Yet, Trump has requested an investigation into the possibility he was wiretapped.

But there is one tantalizing clue. According to several media outlets, an application to spy on Trump  Tower was submitted to the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act court (FISA) last June. According to those reports, there were two requests, and both were denied.

If believed, then Obama likely attempted to spy on Trump and was denied. But why? And why is James Clapper denying knowledge of the requests?

Obama's spokesman has denied the allegations, saying they are "simply false."

So, who is lying? Was Trump illegally spied upon before the election? If so, why?

There is the possibility of a Congressional investigation, but it's unlikely to uncover any information or evidence unless a whistleblower comes forward. Barring that, the debate is likely to do more harm than good as it distracts from other work President Trump needs to do.