Republican attempt to deflect Trump-Russia probes could backfire: sources(Reuters) - Republican lawmaker Devin Nunes’ investigation into whether Obama administration officials used classified intelligence reports to discredit Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign team could backfire on the congressman - and the president, sources familiar with the reports said. The reports contain no evidence that any aides to former Democratic President Barack Obama acted improperly, the sources said, but they do indicate some Trump associates may have violated an obscure 1799 law, the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorized U.S. citizens from negotiating with a foreign government that has a dispute with the United States. The spying reports also are relevant to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia worked to tilt last November’s election in Republican Trump’s favor, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Mueller’s office declined to comment. Russia, under U.S. sanctions for rights abuses and its 2014 annexation of Crimea, has repeatedly denied allegations of election meddling. Trump has denied any possible collusion between his campaign and Moscow, an issue that has loomed over the new presidency. Nunes, chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee and a Trump ally, met secretly earlier this year with a White House intelligence aide and then accused Obama officials of having requested the names of U.S. citizens seen in intercepts of communications with Russians and other foreigners. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. The names would have been routinely censored from intelligence agency intercepts, but Nunes charged that Obama’s aides had leaked the information to try to undermine Trump while he was running for president. A spokesman for then-United Nations ambassador Samantha Power, whom Nunes and other Republicans accused of digging for political dirt, said she read intelligence reports only as part of her normal duties. A spokesman for former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, whom Republicans also accused of misusing intelligence, did not respond to requests for comment. Mueller is investigating meetings and conversations between Trump associates and Russian and other foreign officials and businessmen. They include Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner; the president’s eldest son Donald Trump, Jr.; former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.  “An obvious question is how all these meetings and conversations were set up,” said one of the sources. “Who set them up? What was their purpose? What were the agendas? Who approved them? Who was briefed on them afterward? Signals intelligence might shed some light on that.” Representatives for the Trump associates did not respond to requests for comment. Democratic lawmakers have said that Nunes and others have made the assertions about the leaks to distract attention from two congressional investigations and Mueller’s probe into the Russian matter. The National Security Agency masks the names of U.S. citizens in intercepts, but officials with the necessary security clearances can request them for intelligence purposes.         “Unmasking Americans is extremely sensitive, and unmasking political opponents is really problematic,” said a congressional official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity. If Obama officials asked for the names or failed to justify any requests, that warranted investigation, the official said.   Asked for hard evidence that Power or other aides misused intelligence for political purposes or leaked such information to the media, the official declined to comment. politicsNews
republican attempt deflect probes could backfires sources reuters republican lawmaker devil tunes investigation whether obama administration officials used classified intelligence reports discredit donald trump campaign team could backfires congressman president sources familiar reports said the reports contain evidence aides former democratic president barack obama acted improperly sources said indicate trump associates may violated obscure law logan act prohibits unauthorized citizens negotiating foreign government dispute united states the spying reports also relevant investigation special counsel robert mueller conclusions intelligence agencies russia worked tilt last november election republican trump favor said sources spoke condition anonymity mueller office declined comment russia sanctions rights abuses annexation crimea repeatedly denied allegations election meddling trump denied possible collusion campaign moscow issue looked new presidency tunes chairman house intelligence committee trump ally met secretly earlier year white house intelligence aide accused obama officials requested names citizens seen intercepts communications russian foreigners the white house respond requests comment the names would routinely censored intelligence agency intercepts tunes charged obama aides leaked information try undermine trump running president a spokesman nations ambassador samantha power tunes republicans accused digging political dirt said read intelligence reports part normal duties a spokesman former obama national security adviser susan rice republicans also accused misusing intelligence respond requests comment mueller investigating meetings conversations trump associates russian foreign officials businessmen they include trump adviser jared pusher president eldest son donald trump former trump campaign chairman paul manafort former national security adviser michael flynn an obvious question meetings conversations set said one sources who set what purpose what agendas who approved who briefed afterward signals intelligence might shed light representatives trump associates respond requests comment democratic lawmakers said tunes others made assertions leaks distract attention two congressional investigations mueller probe russian matter the national security agency masks names citizens intercepts officials necessary security clearances request intelligence purposes masking americans extremely sensitive masking political opponents really problematic said congressional official also speaking condition anonymity if obama officials asked names failed justify requests warranted investigation official said asked hard evidence power aides misused intelligence political purposes leaked information media official declined comment politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Republican attempt to deflect Trump-Russia probes could backfire: sources(Reuters) - Republican lawmaker Devin Nunes’ investigation into whether Obama administration officials used classified intelligence reports to discredit Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign team could backfire on the congressman - and the president, sources familiar with the reports said. The reports contain no evidence that any aides to former Democratic President Barack Obama acted improperly, the sources said, but they do indicate some Trump associates may have violated an obscure 1799 law, the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorized U.S. citizens from negotiating with a foreign government that has a dispute with the United States. The spying reports also are relevant to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia worked to tilt last November’s election in Republican Trump’s favor, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Mueller’s office declined to comment. Russia, under U.S. sanctions for rights abuses and its 2014 annexation of Crimea, has repeatedly denied allegations of election meddling. Trump has denied any possible collusion between his campaign and Moscow, an issue that has loomed over the new presidency. Nunes, chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee and a Trump ally, met secretly earlier this year with a White House intelligence aide and then accused Obama officials of having requested the names of U.S. citizens seen in intercepts of communications with Russians and other foreigners. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. The names would have been routinely censored from intelligence agency intercepts, but Nunes charged that Obama’s aides had leaked the information to try to undermine Trump while he was running for president. A spokesman for then-United Nations ambassador Samantha Power, whom Nunes and other Republicans accused of digging for political dirt, said she read intelligence reports only as part of her normal duties. A spokesman for former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, whom Republicans also accused of misusing intelligence, did not respond to requests for comment. Mueller is investigating meetings and conversations between Trump associates and Russian and other foreign officials and businessmen. They include Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner; the president’s eldest son Donald Trump, Jr.; former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.  “An obvious question is how all these meetings and conversations were set up,” said one of the sources. “Who set them up? What was their purpose? What were the agendas? Who approved them? Who was briefed on them afterward? Signals intelligence might shed some light on that.” Representatives for the Trump associates did not respond to requests for comment. Democratic lawmakers have said that Nunes and others have made the assertions about the leaks to distract attention from two congressional investigations and Mueller’s probe into the Russian matter. The National Security Agency masks the names of U.S. citizens in intercepts, but officials with the necessary security clearances can request them for intelligence purposes.         “Unmasking Americans is extremely sensitive, and unmasking political opponents is really problematic,” said a congressional official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity. If Obama officials asked for the names or failed to justify any requests, that warranted investigation, the official said.   Asked for hard evidence that Power or other aides misused intelligence for political purposes or leaked such information to the media, the official declined to comment. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: republican attempt deflect probes could backfires sources reuters republican lawmaker devil tunes investigation whether obama administration officials used classified intelligence reports discredit donald trump campaign team could backfires congressman president sources familiar reports said the reports contain evidence aides former democratic president barack obama acted improperly sources said indicate trump associates may violated obscure law logan act prohibits unauthorized citizens negotiating foreign government dispute united states the spying reports also relevant investigation special counsel robert mueller conclusions intelligence agencies russia worked tilt last november election republican trump favor said sources spoke condition anonymity mueller office declined comment russia sanctions rights abuses annexation crimea repeatedly denied allegations election meddling trump denied possible collusion campaign moscow issue looked new presidency tunes chairman house intelligence committee trump ally met secretly earlier year white house intelligence aide accused obama officials requested names citizens seen intercepts communications russian foreigners the white house respond requests comment the names would routinely censored intelligence agency intercepts tunes charged obama aides leaked information try undermine trump running president a spokesman nations ambassador samantha power tunes republicans accused digging political dirt said read intelligence reports part normal duties a spokesman former obama national security adviser susan rice republicans also accused misusing intelligence respond requests comment mueller investigating meetings conversations trump associates russian foreign officials businessmen they include trump adviser jared pusher president eldest son donald trump former trump campaign chairman paul manafort former national security adviser michael flynn an obvious question meetings conversations set said one sources who set what purpose what agendas who approved who briefed afterward signals intelligence might shed light representatives trump associates respond requests comment democratic lawmakers said tunes others made assertions leaks distract attention two congressional investigations mueller probe russian matter the national security agency masks names citizens intercepts officials necessary security clearances request intelligence purposes masking americans extremely sensitive masking political opponents really problematic said congressional official also speaking condition anonymity if obama officials asked names failed justify requests warranted investigation official said asked hard evidence power aides misused intelligence political purposes leaked information media official declined comment politicsnews