Sharyl Attkisson on Trump Surveillance Claims: ‘I Don’t Think It’s Outside Realm of Possibility’
James Rogers /
Veteran investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson said Thursday it’s possible President Donald Trump is right about government surveillance.
“I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility, especially considering The New York Times and USA Today reported that there was wiretapping going on of some of his top people,” Attkisson told “Fox & Friends.”
Attkisson, who is the host of “Full Measure” and a senior independent contributor to The Daily Signal, also discussed her own experience.
“In short, when I was doing a lot of coverage of the Obama administration that they didn’t like and were trying to stop, a [government-connected] source approached me … and told me I was likely being surveilled,” Attkisson said on the talk show.
Attkisson said she hired a computer specialist to look at her computer, who confirmed what she had been told.
“There has now been four forensic exams that have confirmed that there was software proprietary to a federal government agency in my computer,” she said, adding that she has a lawsuit pending against the federal government.
“We just want them to tell us who had control and access of the IP, [the] government owned IP address that’s been found forensically in my computer,” Attkisson said.
She also revealed that a source told her that “presidents can issue directives that make legal, or allow people to do things that are otherwise illegal, almost anything.”
In reaction to this, “Fox & Friends” co-host Ainsley Earhardt said, “So, if the president didn’t like your reporting, then he could be surveilling you and it wouldn’t be illegal?”
“I’m not saying that happened, but yes, I’m told that there is a power for any president, not just President [Barack] Obama, to issue these directives,” Attkisson said.
Attkisson’s upcoming book, “The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives Control What You See, What You Think, and How You Vote,” will be released in June.