Former Obama administration National Security Adviser Susan Rice told a House committee this month she requested the identities of Trump transition aides that were hidden in sensitive intelligence reports to protect Americans' privacy rights.
Rice testified before a closed session of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Sept. 6 that she asked U.S. intelligence agencies for the names of Trump advisers to be unmasked in transcripts of communications intercepts.
Rice asked for names to be unmasked in a transcript of an electronic intercept involving a meeting between three senior Trump aides and a United Arab Emirates official who had traveled to the United States for an informal visit.
The three officials included candidate Donald Trump's national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn; presidential campaign chief executive Steve Bannon; and Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, according to CNN, which first reported on Rice's closed-door testimony.
Details of Rice's testimony on the unmasking of Trump aides were made public Sept. 14, quoting unidentified government sources, and included comments from members of Congress who did not dispute the closed-door testimony.
Rice's disclosures before the intelligence panel appear to contradict earlier statements she made asserting that she had no knowledge of the unmasking of Americans, the process of identifying the names of Americans who are protected by privacy laws and who are incidentally spied on during sensitive foreign electronic intelligence operations.
In March, Rice was asked by a television interviewer about the unmasking allegations first raised by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.). She stated: "I know nothing about this."
During the House testimony, however, Rice acknowledged she had asked for the blacked-out names of the Trump advisers who had met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a UAE crown prince, in New York Dec. 15. The meeting was to discuss helping the Trump transition set up a back channel to Russia, according to CNN.
Zayed's visit to New York was not known to the State Department.
Asked by the Washington Free Beacon why she sought the identities of people who were part of the opposition political party and key members of an incoming administration transition team, Rice declined to comment and through a spokeswoman said the answers would "pertain to classified information."
Erin Pelton, Rice's spokeswoman, said allegations that Rice improperly sought the identities of Americans from intelligence reports is "entirely false."
"There is nothing improper, unusual, or political about such requests, nor do such requests bear any relationship to the unfounded and debunked allegations that the Obama White House ordered the surveillance of any U.S. persons," Pelton said.
Rice also insisted that she has not and will not "divulge classified information," Pelton said.
According to CNN, Rice's explanation before the committee was that she needed the names of the Americans to investigate the unannounced meeting between the UAE official and the Trump aides.
That explanation, however, has raised questions among investigators over why Rice was investigating what appeared to be a law enforcement matter and not the responsibility of the White House National Security Council staff.
https://freebeacon.com/national-security/obama-nsc-adviser-admits-seeking-trump-aides-identities-intel-reports/
They spied on the Potus during an election, how damning is that. Going
after a political rival during an election. It Is ILLEGAL what they did
and it was all based on a bullshit report the Dossier, that was drummed
up by the Dems and Jeb Bush and anti Trumpers like McCain and aided by
the Russians,. when are they gonna investigate that. This is all smoke
and mirrors to cover real crimes, but slowly it is leaking out 
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