Tillerson: "I would have no way to know" if Russians bugged Oval Office

[Skinner]

Source: The Hill

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday acknowledged that he would have "no way to know" if the Russian government had bugged the Oval Office during President Trump's meeting with Russia's foreign minister and ambassador last week.

"I would have no way to know that," Tillerson said when asked by NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell about the possibility of Kremlin surveillance of the meeting.

The admission from Tillerson followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to provide to members of Congress a transcript of Trump's meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The Washington Post reported on Monday that Trump had divulged highly classified intelligence to the Russian officials during the meeting. Reports on Tuesday revealed that Israel was the source of that intelligence.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/333824-tillerson-i-would-have-no-way-to-know-if-russians-bugged-oval-office

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Isn't it your job to find out, FFS?

I can't believe how incompetent this whole sorry lot is.

[Laf.La.Dem.]

2. Why bug the oval office?

The info is just a phone call away - call your friend Trump

[WhiteTara]

6. Detail is important

and they can get the whole story, since 45 is such an idiot that he doesn't even know what he is talking about.

[underpants]

3. Either Jared or Schiller are going to have to solve this

because they clearly are the only ones he trusts.

[lark]

17. They can't.

Russia is totally central to drumpf's rule and he will not give way on this one iota. He's going to remove the sanctions and make billions and he doesn't care what it takes. He cares nothing about America or anyone here except the other 1%ers, and is so stupid he probably does think we are similar, because he thinks he's so much like Putin. He doesn't realize Putin is making a total fool of him and this country and will absolutely take him down once he's gotten what he wants from us, removal of sanctions and pulling back from NATO, allowing him to freely invade any country he wants.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Link Trump's "tapes" of Comey loyalty with Vlad's transcript offer

The two issues are about 2 weeks apart, but the comments taken together
absolutely SCREAM to investigate any connection between them.

Does Trump have tapes of Comey? Does Vlad archive for Trump? How does
Vlad have a transcript of his Ambassador in the Oval Office?

If this has legs, we are in an espionage crisis possibly linked to treason.

[Sculpin Beauregard]

5. Dereliction of duty, all of them. Also, extreme eye contact should be used from now on, LOL

[defacto7]

7. Interesting he didnt just say , "not possible". nt

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Message deleted by DU the Administrators

[defacto7]

14. On a number of levels..

whether or not he has any responsibility or direct knowledge, it's clear he doesn't have enough confidence to stand up for those who are resposible or to protect the integrity of his master and chief. It's a statement to exonerate himself, put distance between himself and the WH condition. Every person for themself in that administration.

[GeorgeGist]

8. For your listening pleasure ...

[Thomas Hurt]

9. You would think that the WH is swept by the SS for such things regularly...

[L. Coyote]

11. Tillerson added, "I haven't talked to Vlad since Friday."

[dalton99a]

12. "I thought the bags they were carrying were full of vitamin supplements"

[Grins]

13. Non-story. Secret Service scans the office every day.

Secret Service scans the oval office every day.

[defacto7]

16. But do they vacuum?

They may be secret service but they are not beyond all advanced tech all the time. Even I know how fast and broadly tech changes. That's why it is an issue. The secret service can never know for sure therefore such meetings under those conditions must never happen.

[Javaman]

15. Um, yes they did already. how would the ruskies have tapes of the meeting?

good lord we live an error (see what I did there) of complete fucking stupidity.

[lark]

18. Again, the true meaning of this.

I was told it would be best to leave the room, so I did. I paid no attention to whatever the Russian techs were doing.

[NastyRiffraff]

19. Well, that's the end of THAT

Tillerson says he has "no way to know" if the Russians took a golden opportunity to bug the Oval Office. Nothing to see, then; move along.

[suffragette]

20. Putin's offer to provide a transcript of WH meeting to Congress. How surreal is this?

By barring U.S. media while allowing Russian media, Trump has made the Russian media the de facto official media for that day's meeting.

As for Tillerson's comment, wouldn't that be skirting the issue since the ABC agencies could sweep for devices?

[MGKrebs]

21. Reminds me of Schultz from Hogan's Heroes

"I see nothink!"

[truthisfreedom]

22. I guess we'll never know.

It's one of life's mysteries, like the moon landing.