memeorandum: The Obama Camp's Disingenuous Denials on FISA Surveillance of Trump (Andrew C. McCarthy/National Review)

3:30 PM ET, March 5, 2017

Top Items:

Kailani Koenig / NBC News:

Former DNI James Clapper: ‘I Can Deny’ Wiretap of Trump Tower — WASHINGTON — Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Sunday denied any suggestion that Trump Tower communications were wiretapped before the election. — For the part of the national security apparatus that he oversaw …

Discussion: The Hill, Politico, AOL, New York Magazine, NBC News, CNBC, Taylor Marsh, IJR and Axios

Jon Schwarz / The Intercept:

If Trump Tower Was Wiretapped, Trump Can Declassify That Right Now — If in fact Trump Tower was wiretapped during the 2016 presidential campaign, as President Trump claimed in several tweets Saturday morning, he can do much more than say so on twitter: Presidents have the power …

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:

The Obama Camp's Disingenuous Denials on FISA Surveillance of Trump — President Trump's early Saturday morning tweeting has exploded to the forefront an uncovered scandal I've been talking about since early January (including in this weekend's column): The fact that the Obama Justice Department …

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Gateway Pundit, Power Line and Hot Air

New York Times:

Trump Seeks Inquiry Into Allegations That Obama Tapped His Phones — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump, a day after leveling a widely disputed allegation that President Barack Obama had ordered the tapping of his phones, demanded a congressional inquiry into whether Mr. Obama abused …

Discussion: RedState, The Atlantic, AOL, Mother Jones, Althouse, Raw Story, The Root and USA Today

Associated Press:

The Latest: House intel panel to probe Trump wiretap claims — The Latest on President Donald Trump's claim that then-President Barack Obama had Trump's telephones tapped during last year's election (all times EST): — House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes says President Donald Trump's allegations …

Christopher Ruddy / Newsmax:

Trump and Democratic Smokescreens — When I woke up Sunday, I thought the morning news shows would all be talking about the unusual, perhaps dangerous, decision of the Obama administration to wiretap the offices of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. — I've been watching Chuck Todd's “Meet the Press” as I write this.

Ted Mann / Wall Street Journal:

Trump Faces Furor Over Unsubstantiated Claim Obama Wiretapped Him — President adds meeting with attorney general and homeland security secretary as allies and foes react to his claims on Twitter — PALM BEACH, Fla.—President Donald Trump called together several top advisers Saturday …

Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:
Clapper denies wiretap of Trump Tower

Discussion: twitchy.com, Business Insider, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Mediaite and The Gateway Pundit

Associated Press:
THE LATEST: OBAMA INTEL DIRECTOR ON WIRETAP: ‘I CAN DENY IT’

Discussion: IJR

Kyle Balluck / The Hill:
White House calls on Congress to investigate Trump's wiretap claims

Discussion: RedState, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Talking Points Memo, BizPac Review, CBS New York, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit and TheBlaze

Cory Bennett / Politico:
How the feds could have listened to Trump's phone calls

Discussion: RedState, ThinkProgress, Washington Post, twitchy.com, The Hill, The Week and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Robert Barnes / LawNewz:
Yes, There Could Be Serious Legal Problems if Obama Admin Involved in Illegal Surveillance

Discussion: Vox Popoli, The Last Refuge and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

New York Times:

Leashes Come Off Wall Street, Gun Sellers, Miners and More — WASHINGTON — Telecommunications giants like Verizon and AT&T will not have to take “reasonable measures” to ensure that their customers' Social Security numbers, web browsing history and other personal information are not stolen or accidentally released.

Discussion: NRA-ILA

Timothy P. Carney / Washington Examiner:

It's literally pay to play at Mar-a-Lago — If you pay $200,000 a year to the company Donald Trump owns, you too can have access most weekends to the president and his top officials. As an alternative, your organization could cut a $150,000 check to bring in a couple of hundred people …

Discussion: Outside the Beltway

Kristina Webb / Palm Beach Post:
Trump mingles with Mar-a-Lago guests outside charity ball

Discussion: Politico

CNN:
Trump angry and frustrated at staff over Sessions fallout

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Balloon Juice

Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:

Patience Gone, Koch-Backed Groups Will Pressure G.O.P. on Health Repeal — WASHINGTON — Saying their patience is at an end, conservative activist groups backed by the billionaire Koch brothers and other powerful interests on the right are mobilizing to pressure Republicans to fulfill …

Discussion: Axios

Riley Beggin / ABC News:

Franken: 'We don't know what the Russians have on Donald Trump' — Democratic Sen. Al Franken said President Trump's assertion that former President Obama tapped his phones at Trump Tower during the 2016 election campaign are “just ridiculous and a distraction.”

Dan Balz / Washington Post:
Russia is the slow burn of the Trump administration, and it's not going away

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Politico and The Daily Caller

Alex Mohajer / The Huffington Post:

Trump Advisor Roger Stone Launches Into Vulgar Twitter Rant, Admits Contact With Assange During Clinton Leaks — What did Donald Trump know, and when did he know it? Roger Stone may have the answer. — Renowned Republican strategist and long-time Donald Trump adviser Roger Stone launched …

Discussion: Breitbart, Mediaite, Raw Story, CANNONFIRE, Mashable, The Week, IJR, RedState, Politicus USA, The Talking Dog and Deadline

Kyle Balluck / The Hill:

Rogers: Trump feeding the ‘conspiracy parking meter’ — Former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) said on Sunday that President Trump fed the “conspiracy parking meter” when he accused former President Barack Obama — of wiretapping his office. — “He just put another quarter in the conspiracy parking meter.

Discussion: RedState

WND:

Loretta Lynch: Need more marching, blood, death on streets — Senate Dems post her impassioned plea on Facebook page as ‘words of inspiration’ — WASHINGTON - The Obama administration's former Attorney General Loretta Lynch has made an impassioned video plea for more marching …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, BizPac Review, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and twitchy.com

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

SNL has a blockbuster in search of a hero: The Republican who stands up to Trump — “Saturday Night Live” just ran a two-minute liberal's dream sequence disguised as a movie trailer. — The trailer for “Republican” features a notable omission: a title character.

New York Times:

President Trump's Island Mentality — Throughout history, American presidents have declared it their job to protect and advance the interests of the United States and its citizens. President Trump has shoehorned that wholesome, uncontroversial idea into a narrow-minded …