A Virtual Conversation With Edward Snowden - 2014 SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival
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Let us put aside what the National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, did or did not do.   I will stipulate that if former National Security Advisor Flynn did not tell the truth to Vice President Pence or as he stated in his resignation letter “I inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador”, then it was right for President Trump to ask for his resignation.

That being said there is another blaring and scary problem that has come to light and that is the fact that an intelligence agency or agencies are spying on American citizens and unlawfully releasing that information to the press.

You say well Renk they were not spying on Michael Flynn, they were spying on the Russian Ambassador.  I say you might be correct but there are safeguards and laws in place which state the process you must go through when during your spying you catch a conversation with an American citizen.

Only top officials can hear or review the transcripts of the call, the conversation portion and identity of the American must be blacked out and can only be revealed with approval from a FISA court judge.  Also it is against Federal law to leak the taped phone call to the press let alone anyone else.

We can look at a situation like Mr. Flynn’s and find more than just one thing wrong with it.  That being Mr. Flynn’s actions and the actions of the alleged criminals that leaked the information are two situations that must be dealt with.

Mr. Flynn’s actions have cost him his job thus that has been dealt with.  We still have this huge problem and what appears to be people committing criminal acts that are still employed, not charged or arrested, not in jail that is still looming out there.  That my friends has not been dealt with and will continue to occur if it is not dealt with harshly.

We are talking about bureaucrats in the employment of us the taxpayers who are leaking sensitive and classified information, for political purposes.  Do you want that to continue?

Do you want sources and techniques that our intelligence agencies used to be exposed?  What do you think our allies or potential allies are thinking concerning dealing with the United States?

You may not like President Trump, his policies that he advocates for or his cabinet picks but that does not excuse the behavior of alleged criminals who work for us, the citizens of the United States.

I am not in favor of these alleged criminals working for us no matter whom they illegally spill the beans on.  Why, because I am thinking about the long term affect it will have on our government, the people’s faith in our government and our allies’ faith in our government over the short term gains of a political win.

The Live with Renk Show airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595

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