Judge Could Torpedo NSA Surveillance Programs Monday

[Indi Guy]

Source: U.S. News & World Report

A federal judge could grant a preliminary injunction blocking some National Security Agency surveillance programs as early as Monday. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon will consider oral arguments for and against a broad preliminary injunction request Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C., during a hearing that pits Department of Justice lawyers against Larry Klayman, a former Reagan administration prosecutor who leads the advocacy group Freedom Watch.

Leon expressed a sense of urgency in scheduling the hearing and made comments that could be construed as favorable to opponents of NSA surveillance.

Klayman filed two class-action lawsuits in June after documents leaked by Edward Snowden revealed the NSA collects the phone records of millions of Americans using secret court orders and vast quantities of Web data with its PRISM program.

During an Oct. 31 status conference Leon told government lawyers: "I don't want to hear anything about vacations, weddings, days off. Forget about it. This is a case at the pinnacle of public national interest, pinnacle. All hands 24/7. No excuses."...



Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/11/13/judge-could-torpedo-nsa-surveillance-programs-monday

[Warpy]

1. If that happens, maybe we can get limits on corporate snooping next.

I am much more offended by corporate snooping.

Thank goodness for Ghostery.

[bemildred]

8. I love Ghostery. It really lets you know who they are too. nt

[a2liberal]

2. I'm not optimistic that the NSA would actually comply with an injunction

If they think they can violate the Constitution in the name of "national security", they probably feel the same way about court orders. The organization is out of control

[dotymed]

7. I agree totally.

Of course this omnipotent NSA (which has been running wild under 2 administrations) don't care about no "steenking piece of paper", according to W. the Constitution is just a damned piece of paper.

Get real, no matter what a federal judge decrees, it will have no impact on the omnipotent NSA.

[delrem]

3. Who could've thunkit that this would be Obama's legacy.

Oh I know, I know double-time, Barack Obama represented the legacy chosen, twice, by a population whipsawed between the supreme Democratic Party centrist Hillary or the GOP.

But I don't believe that the civilian population of the USA has been provided "truth" by their democratically elected gov'ts in several decades.

What the world is getting now is shit foo young.

[newfie11]

5. +1. Nt

[bemildred]

9. I woulda.

Sucking up to the right has that effect. After a while, people notice that your walk does not match your talk. It's just a matter of time. And I knew when he decided to go with the Surge is was going to bite him in the ass. When was the last time we had a military intervention that did not bite us in the ass. Gulf War I, that's when. And why was that? Because it was (arguably) a just cause, and most of all WE DID NOT TRY TO STAY.

Same with the surveillance. Anybody with a brain could see this was going to cause an eruption, the only question is when. Only a fool would think it could be swept under the carpet in perpetuity. Only a fool would think it was worth the trouble.

[Hekate]

4. This is very hopeful news. Really good news.

Thank you U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon !

[jsr]

6. Court orders are kept in the recycle folder at NSA

[Wilms]

10. ^