ACLU: New Report Confirms Unprecedented Expansion Of Government Spying

[marmar]

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/spying/35113prs20080501.html



New Report Confirms Unprecedented Expansion Of Government Spying (5/1/2008)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: [phone] or 549-2666; [e-mail]

NEW YORK – A newly released Justice Department report shows an unprecedented expansion of the government's use of secret warrants for domestic spying. According to the report, the number of secret warrants approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) more than doubled in the past seven years. The court approved 2,370 requests last year, compared to 1,012 in 2000.

The following can be attributed to Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU National Security Project:

"Since Congress enacted the Patriot Act, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of warrants issued by the secret intelligence court. The number has gone up every year since 2001 – even while the administration authorized the National Security Agency to set up a parallel surveillance program to monitor Americans' phone calls without the oversight of the secret court. The ever-increasing reach of government surveillance should be disturbing to anyone committed to constitutional values. Pervasive surveillance, besides eroding the right to privacy, deters innocent people from participating in the political process and from exercising their freedoms of speech, association, and religion. It has a chilling effect on activity that is absolutely necessary to any democracy."

Congress is currently discussing far-reaching and unconstitutional updates to FISA, a move the ACLU adamantly opposes. The Bush administration is playing a large role in negotiations and is pushing once again for immunity for telecommunications companies involved in warrantless wiretapping. The ACLU is urging Congress to stand firm and not pass any bill that violates Fourth Amendment rights or deprives Americans of meaningful judicial review.

[Selatius]

1. Eventually, we will end up little different than East Germans under the STASI.

We will be living 1984.

[Richard Steele]

3. It's already worse. The STASI's best computers had TUBES, knowhutImean? K&R

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Dramatic increase in the number of warrants issued by the secret intelligence court"

And you gotta wonder about the "dramatic increase" in the number of investigations without the "benefit" of "warrants".

[Echo In Light]

7. Uh huh

:eyes:

[Supersedeas]

12. Yes, we should

[formercia]

4. Change in tactic

Poppy use to use the Office of Drug Policy to engage in surveillance of the opposition. By attempting to make drug cases against those he felt were a 'problem', sneak and peek and other investigative tactics that would not otherwise be legal could be used.
With the Patriot Act, the focus of investigation has shifted from drugs to terrorism. It's the same illegal methodology but using a different tactic to achieve the same result.

[SpiralHawk]

5. more republicon 'conservative' hypocrisy

The republicons are forever saying that they are against Big Governement, and Big Government intrusion into private lives.

Bwaa ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Another republicon lie.

[liberalla]

6. "Unprecedented Expansion Of Government Spying"

...and that's just for warrants that have been issued. Think of all the illegal spying they're doing without warrants. :headexploding:

Time to make another contribution to the ACLU!

[hootinholler]

8. Hmmm. Curious isn't it?

A law enforcement agency is using FISA more, while the agency that implemented the warrantless surveillance isn't talking to them, perhaps because the evidence will be tainted or maybe the warrantless program is illegal?

-Hoot

[Phred42]

9. The question is - WHO have they been spying on?

The enemy of course - Democrats, Industry leaders and anyone that hasn't 'gone along'.

Bet me.

[jtrockville]

10. Makes me proud to be a card-carrying member! Thanks ACLU!

[LynnTheDem]

11. How's that "Republicans = small government" thang going, freeps?

Must be getting tough to remain in denial by now.