(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) In a startling development that has once again fueled discussions on government surveillance and press freedom, new allegations have surfaced claiming that the Barack Obama administration, which served from January 2009 to January 2017, was involved in unlawful surveillance of American journalists. Sharyl Attkisson, a former investigative reporter for CBS News, recently accused the Obama administration of conducting unauthorized surveillance on her and her family, including allegations of hacking her electronic devices and attempting to compromise her husband's privacy.
Attkisson, known for her investigative reporting on controversial topics, asserted that the Obama administration resorted to illicit methods to track down her sources. According to her claims, officials obtained phone records in an attempt to uncover confidential information. This revelation has stirred a storm of controversy, prompting renewed scrutiny of the administration's practices concerning press freedom and privacy rights.
Attkisson levelled these serious allegations and also spoke about her new book, "Follow the Science: How Big Pharma misleads, Obscures and Prevails" and her ongoing legal battle and Big Pharma greed during a discussion on The Breanna Morello Show.
A video of the session has been shared on X (formerly Twitter).
"...That was the Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation but the Obama administration apparently is also very upset with my investigative and award-winning reporting likewise on Benghazi, green energy scandals and so on but I was tipped-off by two people inside the intelligence agencies... that I was probably being monitored because of my work," Attkisson said.
"It had never occurred to me that I was watched by my computers....Both said things like the American public would be shocked at the extent to which the Obama administration is using these tools against citizens and journalists," she added.
“A source stepped in and forensics were examined neither thought it would be found in my CBS computer but... there was the forensic evidence. We continued with CBS forensics experts to confirm, I hired my own... and found government's IP address were used to spy on me, there was a keystroke programme monitoring my keystrokes. They were in my "Fast and Furious" documents... and they were all in the whole CBS system.
Attkisson went on to add that when the matter was communicated internally, there was no outrage among the colleagues and how she went on to file a lawsuit and is still fighting.
She said that she counts it as a small victory that it is on record that the government was spying on her and she looks forward to a damages trial soon.
In a particularly alarming accusation, Attkisson alleges that her electronics were hacked, and efforts were made to plant explicit content on her husband's devices. This assertion, if proven true, would represent a severe breach of personal privacy and a potential abuse of governmental power.
When asked if her loved ones were also targeted by the government, Attkisson said that efforts were made to plant explicit content on her husband's devices. Devices of her daughter who was then in high school were also compromised.
"...They were in the process of planting pornography on my husband's computer, which actually never happened though but the fact that they were planning to...how do you get over that" she said.
"Fast and Furious" involved a sting operation that the Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives concocted to infiltrate and weaken Mexican drug cartels. The scheme allegedly entailed shipping traceable guns to the drug trafficking gangs and then following the trail to identify and neutralize those organizations and the kingpins who ran them.
The Obama administration, which has previously faced criticism for its handling of press-related matters, is now confronted with serious allegations that could have profound implications for its historical record.
The allegations have resurfaced at a time when the intersection of national security and press freedom is under intense scrutiny. Attkisson's claims are not only a blow to the Obama administration's legacy but also a stark reminder of the delicate balance between safeguarding state secrets and protecting journalistic integrity.
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