Judicial Watch Targets Samantha Power in New Lawsuit Against State Department For Docs Related to Unmasking Scandal

Conservative watch dog group Judicial Watch filed a new lawsuit against the State Department Friday requesting records on former UN Ambassador Samantha Power relating to the unmasking scandal.

Samantha Power reportedly unmasked 260 Americans in her last year at the State Department with zero explanation. Why would a UN Ambassador need to unmask hundreds of American citizens?

Via Judicial Watch:

Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of State for “unmasking” and other records tied to Obama’s United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power relating to the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:18-cv-00300)). Unmasking refers generally to the practice of political appointees obtaining the identities of American citizens referenced in intelligence surveillance of foreign nationals.

Judicial Watch sued the State Department after it failed to respond to an October 31, 2017, FOIA request seeking information about Power’s unusual unmasking requests, including:

  • All requests for information submitted to any Intelligence Community member agency by former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power concerning, regarding, or relating to the following:

Any actual or suspected effort by the Russian government or any individual acting on behalf of the Russian government to influence or otherwise interfere with the 2016 presidential election. The alleged hacking of computer systems utilized by the Democratic National Committee and/or the Clinton presidential campaign.

Any actual or suspected communication between any member of the Trump presidential campaign or transition team and any official or employee of the Russian government or any individual acting on behalf of the Russian government.

The identities of U.S. citizens associated with the Trump presidential campaign or transition team who were identified pursuant to intelligence collection activities.

In September, an attorney for Trump Jay Sekulow and his partner (son) at the ACLJ, attorney Jordan Sekulow broke down Samantha Power’s unprecedented unmasking requests on their radio show.

Jordan Sekulow points out that Power’s unmasking was crammed in the last few weeks or perhaps days of the Obama administration which means she was unmasking dozens of people OR MORE in a single working day.

Sekulow puts Power’s unmasking requests into context by comparing it to other UN Ambassadors of the past.

“Her number of requests are unprecedented in the history of UN Ambassadors who also have the position to unmask,” Jordan Sekulow began.

“No other UN Ambassador has ever even made half of the requests Power made in their ENTIRE CAREER, let alone a few months.”

In another stunning development, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) revealed to Fox News host Brett Baier in October that former UN Ambassador Samantha Power testified to House lawmakers that she did not make all the unmasking requests that were attributed to her name.

President of Judicial Watch, Tom Fitton with more on Samantha Power and the unmasking scandal:

You can support Judicial Watch by clicking here.

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Cristina began writing for The Gateway Pundit in 2016 and she is now the Associate Editor.

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Thanks for sharing!