Whistleblower Tells Olbermann NSA Spied On Journalists (VIDEO)

On Keith Olbermann's show Wednesday night, former National Security Agency analyst Russell Tice said that reporters were spied on inside the United States.

Watch:

Former NSA analyst Russell Tice, who has claimed to be a source for the NY Times explosive 2005 story, told Keith Olbermann last night that the NSA collected information on journalists.

Transcript, via Politico:

OLBERMANN: I mention that you say specific groups were targeted. What group or groups can you tell us about?

TICE: Well, there's sort of two avenues to look at this. What I just mentioned was sort of the low-tech dragnet look at this. The things that I specifically were involved with were more on the high-tech side. And try to envision, you know, the dragnets are out there, collecting all the fish and then ferreting out what they may. And my technical angle was to try to harpoon fish from an airplane kind of thing. So it's two separate worlds. But in the world that I was in, as to not harpoon the wrong people in some -- in one of the operations that I was in, we looked at organizations just supposedly so that we would not target them. So that we knew where they were, so as not to have a problem with them. Now, what I was finding out, though, is that the collection on those organizations was 24/7, and you know, 365 days a year, and it made no sense. And that's -- I started to investigate that. That's about the time when they came after me, to fire me. But an organization that was collected on were U.S. news organizations and reporters and journalists.

OLBERMANN: To what purpose? I mean, is there a file somewhere full of every e-mail sent by all the reporters at the "New York Times?" Is there a recording somewhere of every conversation I had with my little nephew in upstate New York? Is it like that?

TICE: If it was involved in this specific avenue of collection, it would be everything. Yes. It would be everything.

Comments

[athenasword]

Disturbing news, but really is isn't surprising. More about the Bush years will come to light. The question is what can be proven and who will be held accountable.

[lesterbud]

Let me get this straight..­.

You spied on organizations so that you could eliminate them from consideration for being spied upon?

That sure sounds like Cheney-logic to me.

Sounds like a doctor deciding that, even thought there is no reason to think you have brain cancer, he will operate and remove your brain just to make sure that the possibility is eliminated.

This past administration was more paranoid than Iran, North Korea and China combined.

[Tom Joad]

you have seen "Dr. Strangelove" before, I assume?

[lesterbud]

Of course.

I also have a good historical understanding of the techniques used by Nazi policy makers and propagandists - exactly the same as used by the Cheney regime.

"Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

~Hermann Wilhelm Göring (1893-1946)

[Telemachus]

Just what you'd expect from the party of small government, less regulation, and individual freedom.

[Nova16]

I don't believe this revelation by Russell Tice will connect with the American public or the Democrats in congress or Obama because they want no part in facing the truth about Bush/Cheney criminal activities because it would just be "too hard" for the country to deal with. Justice has become a word without meaning or value. Bush/Cheney left the District of Columbia with joy and a feeling of euphoria realizing that they would never be prosecuted for the high crimes and misdemeanors or the malfeasance and misfeasance in the highest office in the land because they knew they "got away with it".

[Tom Joad]

This is very disturbing if we can establish that it is fundamentally true. What the media needs to do is establish Mr. Tice's bona fides a little more for us. I have no reason to doubt what he claims; I have no reason to believe what he claims. Tell more, investigate. get to the core of what might have happened. For many years, the conspiracists among us have railed on the 'Echelon' system that supposedly monitors all communications much as Mr. Tice claims. Are we dreaming?

[arspar183]

this also means Bush spied on all of us HP posters. Are we not pseudo jpurnalists? or am i just paranoid? or am i just full of myself? or...

[johnqsittinzen]

Word!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!11

[Emerald1943]

No, we are just annoying anonymous children, sitting in the basement in our pajamas, spreading lies and rumors! LMAO

Let's hear some more....c'­mon whistleblowers!!!

[athenasword]

Huffpo was likely monitored. Along with many other blogs.

[Hare]

So what if they did? Unless we acted against the status quo, those that did are arrested invisible to most of us. Hopefully Obama will get them out of jail.

[colorperdaughter]

Would be a problem if you were a potential whistleblower who also liked porno or some such. I do wonder how many were arrested? I suspect it was a big waste, if they were more competent who knows.

[colorperdaughter]

The whistleblower said they spied on all Americans in a dragnet operation, they used certain fllters then focused in on individual Americans. This included people who had never made an international call. This is simply unbelievable. Also another example of incompetent waste ala FEMA trailers sitting unused, poisonous water for troops in Iraq (KBR etc etc) History will tell as George Bush says, it will confirm he is the worst EVER.

[poco767c]

"I have here in my hand a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party" Joe McCarthy would be so proud

[johnqsittinzen]

Not even close.

[freethinking moderate]

Interesting to know, but what really - and only - matters is what is going to happen now that the information is out? Is Obama's Justice Department really going to support the Constitution?

[Balancement]

The Democrats caved on Bush-issue after Bush-issue, and impeachment was taken off the table.

The mainstream media refused for the most part to diligently investigate and report on the crimes of the Bush Administration.

Why do you think that was? Big Brother Bush was watching. The democrats and much of the media knew they were being spied on and almost *everyone* has parts of their personal life they would rather not be revealed.

Time will tell if we ever get a full report on the criminality that was the Bush Administration.

[obamagal]

What you say makes sense.

[johnqsittinzen]

Actually, what he says makes perfect sense, in a paranoid kind of way. Or maybe it was just that they couldn't believe their government would stoop so low. Either way, the Democrats in congress and the MSM failed us and the Bush administration run wild.

[Emerald1943]

I posted elsewhere on this thread that Congress was threatened by Bush with martial law if they did not pass the big bailout bill!!!!!!!!!!! A Congressman from California made the statement on the floor of the House. I saw it on TV one time.....t­hen the story disappeared, completely!

I am amazed at the arrogance of those people! Now, AG Holder, let's get on with the investigations! (If the rethugs will stop the obstruction)

[wijg]

Since the media was targeted, I wonder if they'll finally do some investigative journalism, or will the top stories remain tabloidesque.

[colorperdaughter]

The Bush administration outed Valerie Plame, there is no reason to think they wouldn't use information gained for nefarious political purposes. Let's keep track of Bush, Cheney etc's conversations- in JAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[arspar183]

Agree 100%.

[johnqsittinzen]

Word!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!

[mydogshakespeare]

The foundations of the Police State if not laid by BushCo, then certainly strengthened many times over. I hope Obama, can undo most of it and keep only the parts that do not go awry of our Constitution (you know, Bush's "gawddamn piece of paper").

[pacason]

Guess I always suspected this....bu­t still, when I heard it from the "horse's mouth", the hair on the back of my head went up.

[obamagal]

Keith was angry - it was controlled, and below the surface, but evident. Based on past precedent, I very much doubt Keith will let this one go. He'll make sure it stays in forefront.

[antiparanoid]

They eavesdropped on everyone, therefore they nominated John McCain and Sarah Palin knowing of their impending SMACKDOWN.

[DuPageDem]

This kind of stuff happens every time security fetishists get control of our country. It's exactly like J. Edgar Hoover bugging MLK's bedroom. They use the guise of protecting us to cancel the Constution and collect material on their "enemies." I wonder how many journalists were blackmailed with NSA wiretap data into suppressing news critical of Bush?

[RichardIII]

I felt all along that a wide net had been cast, and I wondered how many political enemies including politicians were blackmailed as a result of the wiretaps. Also, one cannot underestimate the chilling effect the mere possibility of being wiretapped had on journalists, politicians and even everyday citizens.