Appearing on CNN Saturday, former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer (R) got more than he bargained for when he tried to push the debunked conspiracy theory that former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower in 2016.
During a panel discussion about the Russia investigation, Bauer said that President Donald Trump was justified in making the unfounded “wiretapped” claim only to be shut down by CNN anchor Ana Cabrera and former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
Cabrera said that the New York Times report about Trump 2016 campaign aide George Papadopoulos shows that the FBI was watching Donald Trump and his connections to Russia as far back as May of 2016, months ahead of the explosive Steele dossier.
“The president said a long time ago that Trump Tower had surveillance on it and everybody laughed at him,” Bauer said. This assertion of Trump’s has been widely discredited.
“Wrong,” said Nutter.
“For almost a year,” Bauer said, “they’ve been looking into –”
“Wrong,” said Nutter again.
” — Trump and Russian meddling,” Bauer said. “I don’t know what’s wrong there, Mayor, tell me where I’m wrong.”
“The FBI said there was no surveillance,” Nutter said. “Look it up, Andre, cut it out.”
Nutter pointed out — as Bauer became more agitated — that the federal government surveils foreign agents and the people who interact with them, which was how Trump campaign and transition officials came to the attention of U.S. intelligence agencies.
Watch the video below via CNN:
