Page 48 - Intelligence Gathering News Today

Turf war between the house and the senate. the senators want answers before the 20th because the senate hates being in the dark when house lawmakers are getting answers. what we know for sure, fbi director comey and mike rogers from the nsa whose agency does surveillance have agreed to testify next week on the russia investigation and three former obama administration officials are tentatively scheduled on march 28. >> shepard: catherine, when russians are surveilled, like the russian ambassador...

If he wins about sanctions to ukraine. what are they going to do related to cooperation in syria. there are significant foreign policy decisions that russia wants to know where the united states is and national security team is and that also can take the form of intelligence gathering. >> steve, can you tell what the russians were after based on the pattern of meetings weve seen between the ambassador and various trump campaign associates? >> you know, its a classic counter intelligence question...

Recently as two weeks ago, they said it didnt exist, there were no meetings at all. there were two with sessions, at least one at the convention. you worked in the obama white house with the state department. what was the view inside the obama administration of ambassador kislyak? >> a long known diplomat in circles around the world for many, many years. he served in nato and the united states for quite some time. its important for people to remember that no government, including the united stat...

Investigations. you have to protect your sources and methods of intelligence gathering. >> dana: i buy his argument. then you had congressman jason chavis who tweeted attorney general sessions could clarify his testimony and recuse himself. i wanted to ask you, why not just recuse? he was part of a campaign and surrogate that is now, theres at least four investigations looking into the russian stuff. i think if the attorney general said, okay, ill recuse myself from it, it could all go away. >> ...

>> jon: it appears that for the moment, we have lost the connection to the speakers office where paul ryan is conducting his weekly press conference, looks like its back on. >> by the way, we want to make sure we leave no stone unturned and thats why our intelligence committees arent conducting these investigations. you have protect your sources and methods of intelligence gathering. >> is that what you think the democrats are doing? >> im not going to speak to their motives, but all i can tell ...

Been called for the russian interference in the election. should there be a special prosecutor? >> i couldnt speak to that part, the attorney general. the proper place in my opinion is the intelligence committees. they have access to methods of intelligence gathering. this is sensitive information that involves how we collect intelligence. thats why we have a committee. they are conducting an investigation. both of our intelligence committees have been investigating these issues. thats the prope...

A government cant function with massive leaks at the highest level of our president talking to foreign leaders. that i think is one of the focuses that you all should be concerned about. these are high level leaks. >> reporter: how big is the circle of individuals who have access to those transcripts? >> well, this is out of -- i didnt really realize this but evidently the process is the last administration had it set up to go to the state department and the ic and perhaps any other stakeholders...

Independence committee. do you think at the least the attorney general needs the recuse himself from decision like this. >> i cant speak to the attorney general. but the proper place is the intelligence committees is because they have access to methods of intelligence gathering. this is sensitive information gathering that involves how we collect evidence. and it is conducting an investigation. both of our intelligence committees have been investigating all of these issues and thats the proper p...

Report back to the kremlin as part of their circle of intelligence gathering. have you eliminated that possibility, that the people that trump advisers were speaking with have connections to the russian government, even if theyre not officially working for the russian government? >> we havent eliminated anything. the only thing that i want to make sure that we do is before we go after american citizens and subpoena them or bring them before the legislative branch of government, that its not just...

Finally has an american president who might be willing to lack sanctions after they violated the country for the first time since world war ii. now they are worried trump may not have as much leverage to do the things putin wants him to do. >> i think its curious the only person that believes in intelligence gathering is putin and the kgb. our challenge is that putin is recognizing that yes, trump for intents and purposes is the president hes waiting for but increasingly, trump has been increasi...