Presidential Five Ws

"Believe me." -- Donald Trump

Just because you say so doesn't make it true. -- Pug Mahoney

   The president stunned the world early Saturday with his allegations that his predecessor Barack Obama wire-tapped communications systems at Trump Tower during the election campaign.
   Trump gave no details and offered no evidence, and while several of the standard Five Ws plus How (who, what, where, when, why and how) were included in the presidential Tweets, the information was skimpy enough to fit into the 140-character format.
   Briefly, here are the presidential five Ws:
   Who -- Barack Obama
   What -- Tapped communication devices
   Where -- Trump Tower in New York City
   When -- Before the election
   Why -- not given
   How -- not given

   Here, then, are some follow-up questions, based on the same journalistic Five W format:
   Who or what is your source for the information leading to the allegations?
   What evidence shows that there was in fact unwarranted wire tapping?
   Where was the tapping originated, in what agency, and by whom?
   When specifically was the tapping done?
   Why was the surveillance done?
   How, specifically, was it done?

   Wire tapping can only be done legally after approval by a court. Who, in which court, approved? If the tapping was done without a warrant, the current president, Donald Trump, is alleging criminal behavior on the part of the president at the time, Barack Obama.
   If the allegations are true, then an official investigation should determine the facts of the case, and file charges accordingly.
   If the allegations are not true, then that same official investigation will determine that, and file charges accordingly.
   Either way, investigate, always remembering that the most important of the Five Ws is the last one: Why?
   Meanwhile, after the furor over the early Saturday morning allegations, a White House spokesman on Sunday issued a statement calling for a congressional investigation as part of its probe of Russian meddling in the election. There was still no evidence offered that the tapping actually occurred.