'MOVE THOSE GOALPOSTS, SISTER!': Unmasking is a fairly routine process that occurs thousands of times a year

We’d already heard from Politico’s Blake Hounshell the “immediate question” surrounding that list of Obama administration officials who submitted unmasking requests regarding Michael Flynn: if declassification was “being used as a political weapon in the 2020 campaign.”

The Wall Street Journal’s Rebecca Ballhaus is another firefighter who’s trying to douse these flames by assuring us that unmasking occurs thousands of times a year to “better understand the context of intercepted conversations.”

Unmasking U.S. identities in intel reports is a fairly routine process that occurs thousands of times a year and is requested by senior administration officials to better understand the context of intercepted conversations that are being reviewed.https://t.co/M1CdO7m8eA

— Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) May 13, 2020

What about this case is “fairly routine”?

MOVE THOSE GOALPOSTS, SISTER! This would be a fine point if Flynn hadn't been the victim of a widespread campaign against him that used a torrent of leaks of unmasked intelligence.

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) May 13, 2020

Oh yeah, totally routine. "In 2013, there were 9,500 searches involving 198 Americans. In 2016, that escalated to 30,355 searches of 5,288 Americans." https://t.co/ugjDo06lg5 https://t.co/bcGFHIbcyc

— AR-14 Lizzy (@StarChamberMaid) May 13, 2020

That’s the Dem talking point. “Normal”. Hardly… and then add the clusters shown: Dept Treasury (Iran Deal), Dept of Energy (U1), NATO/DoS teaming up to set up. Mathematically an ambush. Led by Samantha Power…and John Brennan.

— ProeliatorLibertas (@ProeliatorL) May 13, 2020

It was "routine" for the UN Ambassador to ask for unmasking? Really? Isn't that a scandal in itself? And is it "routine" for the President & VP to be making unmasking requests as opposed to intelligence officials? Why were they even involved as they were going out the door?

— JimBobLAX (@JimBobLAX) May 13, 2020

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Treasury? Seriously?

— Chuck Steele (@ChuckSteeleSr) May 13, 2020

Rebecca isn't in the business of journalism. She's tweeting this garbage to get noticed by her colleagues at the NYT, WaPo, CNN, etc… It's about getting in the good graces of her colleagues… She's pushing the "right" narrative. Also she's defending the BS she's been writing.

— Walter Kovacs (@mrmuxi) May 13, 2020

And it also means the Patriot Act / FISA canard that "we won't use this power to spy on US citizens" to get the American public to accept it has now clearly gone by the wayside.

— Mike (@VeritasPerpetuo) May 13, 2020

Agree. I think this is the biggest scandal of espionage and criminality by an Administration in American history. And the media is collapsing. They helped spread this BS to the public for the last 3 years. Now they are cornered. That's why they are resisting.

— Walter Kovacs (@mrmuxi) May 13, 2020

So Rebecca, it is standard practice to spy on political opponents? Especially while transitioning from one admin to another…keep reaching, maybe someday something will stick…

— #WWG1WGA #ClearFlynnNow (@Winning1717) May 13, 2020

You know what, dig in sister. You guys will look like fools. Again.

— Morgan (@AGsmith70) May 13, 2020

For six straight weeks, on 1-3 days each week, 1-16 requests were made by Obama’s team on Flynn. Context is they were acting like money launderers spreading their activity around multiple people to avoid notice

— bostonmichael (@bostonmichael4) May 13, 2020

Even the media’s ability to spin the collapsing narrative is collapsing.

— Flyover Expat ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@FlyoverExpat) May 13, 2020

Republicans better be careful with this one; Democrats should call for the immediate release of all the transcripts of these in proper phone calls between Kislyak and Flynn

— David conte (@daveconte1971) May 13, 2020

be careful what you wish for. since it appears you are late to the game, the phone conversation was already deemed to be not criminal by the FBI.

— David Keegan (@DavidKeegan19) May 13, 2020

Cool, let's make sure we intercept all conversations of Biden, his family, their surrogates and staff – you know, just to make sure the Russkies aren't trying any funny business. And unmasking those Democrats is, you know, fairly routine process so – no worries!

— Nadav (@AbramsonNadav) May 13, 2020

These dates are all during the transition and line up with the Oval Office meeting we just found out about…but nothing to see here!! ?

— HNS (@ShannonHeid) May 13, 2020

Yet all of these unmasking requests were either A) Before the call or B) On or after Jan 5 the day of the White House strategy session.

— Gilbert Dilbert (@GilbertDilbert1) May 13, 2020

Is it also "fairly routine" for those officials to lie and say they had no knowledge of the situation when they were requesting the information?

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) May 13, 2020

Just here for the ratio.

— Dr. G (@DrG58374081) May 13, 2020

Related:

List of 'principals' who submitted unmasking requests for Michael Flynn's identity includes some interesting — and familiar — names [screenshots] https://t.co/S6KQrB4N8N

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 13, 2020