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Senators demand answers on expired surveillance programs:
Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Mike Lee (R-Ut.) on Thursday pressed the Trump administration on whether and how mass surveillance programs authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act have been halted since the act's expiration.
The letter to Attorney General William Barr and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe raises concerns that the administration may be be continuing to conduct surveillance operations by relying on Executive Order 12333.
The order, issued on 1981, has been used before to conduct operations without statutory authorization or congressional oversight.
"Congress and the American people have a right to know if this or any other administration is spying on people in the United States outside of express congressional approval, with no or diminished guardrails," Sens. Leahy and Lee wrote.
"The rights of all Americans depend on their government exercising its power responsibly, adhering to the rule of law, and upholding its duty to act transparently. Any surveillance conducted in the absence of statutory authorities and congressional oversight would be extraordinarily concerning and illegal."
Reauthorization of the key FISA provisions under the USA Freedom Act has stalled.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 23 2020, @05:50AM (6 children)
Nothing is going to happen before then. And there's no guarantee then either
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 23 2020, @05:53AM (5 children)
They set up the infrastructure and personnel, they didn't stop and since then the Trump admin has been eliminating transparency oversight all over.
They won't stop now.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 23 2020, @03:11PM (4 children)
FTFY
This is a rather mild example of TDS. AC is right, but only half right, when he points out that this administration has been avoiding oversight and transparency. Both previous administrations did the same, and in fact, laid the groundwork for Trump's administration to shake off any oversight.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday July 23 2020, @04:35PM (2 children)
The FISA act didn't expire under Bush or Obama administrations, it expired under Trump's. The question is whether he has continued to use those powers despite the fact that he is no longer authorized to do so (unlike the previous administrations).
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday July 23 2020, @05:28PM
TFS makes mention of Reagan's EO 12333. You can bet that ANY ADMINISTRATION will rationalize and justify it's surveillance programs, using whatever is at hand.
This is one of those examples, be careful how much power you give to any office, because the next person to sit in that chair may use that power against you.
(Score: 2, Funny) by zion-fueled on Thursday July 23 2020, @08:26PM
Dunno, if he is using it then it's not working. See the communist uprising in the street and massive china spy ring at the consulate. Didn't do a bit of good.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 23 2020, @11:16PM
No, I'm talking about congress, not "this administration". These people are just showboating for votes, but they won't change a thing even if they do win