Unlike 99.999% of the people commenting on this story I've actually done SIGINT "unmaskings" for NSA, which makes me what @RadioFreeTom would call an Expert, so I have a couple comments on this story... https://twitter.com/CBS_Herridge/status/1260635872271228928

1st, Mike Flynn's notorious call to RU Amb Kislyak, which got this whole furball rolling, was on 29 DEC 2016...and a lot of these unmasking requests are wayyyyy before that. Back to 30 NOV, in fact.

Hmmmmm.....

2nd, this looks like a very normal unmasking request list, given what we know Flynn was talking about during the transition and with whom (ie RU, TU). There are all pretty senior policymakers or IC personnel -- some indeed very senior -- not random GS-13s....

3rd, what was so interesting in those NSA mid-DEC SIGINT report(s) that featured Flynn that so many officials wanted his USP ID unmasked ca 14-16 DEC?

Inquiring minds want to know!

We're discussing this big story -- and how it's being misrepresented by Usual Suspects -- over at @thespybrief, for those interested in joining us.