26 senators demand answers from Clapper on surveillance

[Ichingcarpenter]

A group of 26 senators have signed a letter demanding that National Intelligence Director James Clapper publicly answer questions about the federal government’s bulk collection of data – one of the broadest efforts yet to apply pressure on the intelligence community in the aftermath of the disclosures of its surveillance programs.


The senators who signed the letter are: Wyden, Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jon Tester (D-Mt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Dean Heller (R- Nev.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/06/28/26-senators-demand-answers-from-clapper-on-surveillance/?Post+generic=%3Ftid%3Dsm_twitter_washingtonpost

[Douglas Carpenter]

1. knr

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. NO RAND PAUL........

Well there goes that dumb shit talking point.

Snowden's piece does have an impact. This wouldn't have happen without his leak or whatever you want to call it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Yay! Happy to see my 2 senators signed. Murray and Cantwell.

[marions ghost]

4. Thank you senators

3 R's --but OK, Repuglicons do like all that secret surveillance...agencies full of rightwingers

Tell us about Evil Olive, Senators........get to the pit of it all.

[Skidmore]

6. Good.

Now it would have been helpful all along if Senators had been raising questions about the scope of PA and FISA all along and shaking the bushes to make certain oversight was thorough.

[Enrique]

7. they're all racist, and unamerican

if that's not the explanation, then WHAT IS?

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. I rejoice that 41% of the Democratic caucus and 6,5% of the GOP caucus in the Senate still maintain

some belief in our democratic and constitutional system of government

[BlueStreak]

9. Three GOP Senators? I guess that's 3 more than I would have expected.

See the 7 questions here:
http://www.wyden.senate.gov/download/?id=87b45794-0fa4-4b1a-b3a6-e659a91a5042

Here I will paraphrase them:

1) How long have you been doing this?
2) What else are you doing?
3) Are you tapping into cell GPS data (basically getting info from powered-on cell phones even when calls aren't being made)?
4) When did you stop lying to the courts?
5) Tell us when the phone records specifically prevented a specific terra plot.
6) same as 5 basically
7) How many contractors have access to this data?

And he's asking for this in open, public session. That just shows how messed up our Surveillance State has become, because we all know the administration will claim they can't answer any of these without terrorists cutting off our heads. You don't want your girlfriend raped, do you? Well, that's what could happen if we had to answer these questions. Your mother could be shot in the head, and that would be on you if you keep asking these questions.

[marions ghost]

14. I recommend reading the letter

--it is really good. Accuses them of "misleading the public" by stating the Patriot Act is analogous to a grand jury subpoena and that the NSA doesn't hold citizens records--yeah basically indicates they feel they have been lied to.

Also says that constituents have been prevented from evaluating these policies and that this will undermine trust in government. Also says that the president welcomes this debate.

This is an excellent letter! Clear and right to the point. Gives me hope.

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. at least it is a step in the right direction

[marions ghost]

24. Yes, a good start

but I want to see them tackle the multiple other issues as well. It all runs together. Dismantling this thing is not going to be easy. Brick by brick. It's also a tricky face-saving moment. This is such a slap in the face to the American people (& others around the world). A shameful abuse of power on the part of the NSA & friends. I hope we can do the right thing even now.

Imagine what it would be like if we really felt that we were free (protected) from this kind of intrusion. If we could be sure that this country was not intent on total control of the internet & electronic communications. What if we were not so arrogant, condescending, and bullying towards the rest of the world. That would feel like Freedom to me.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. kick

[think]

11. K&R. Thank you Senators for putting forth this effort on behalf of the American people /nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Good. I notice the Rand Paul talking point

should start to die...

I kid, I kid, that will not die.

[cali]

13. Bless my Senators. Pat Leahy has been concerned about this for years

and been introducing legislation for years to limit NSA activities. He just introduced the FISA Accountability and Privacy Protection
Act.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) unveiled a set of proposals Monday designed to increase oversight of and install safeguards against abuse in the federal government’s surveillance programs.

Leahy’s bill, dubbed the FISA Accountability and Privacy Protection Act, would:

* Shorten the current FISA authorization by two years, making it and the Patriot Act come up for renewal at the same time in June 2015.

* Increase the evidence threshold for obtaining records through Section 215 of the Patriot Act — the section under which the PRISM program operated.

* Order formal reviews of Section 215 and Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act — the section under which collection of Americans’ phone records occurred.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/06/24/leahy-proposes-new-oversight-of-surveillance-programs/

Bernie can always be counted on, as can his successor in the House, Peter Welch.

[marions ghost]

15. Doesn't really address

the vast intrusive scope of the surveillance or the impact on international relations, but I guess they're starting with the home front. Even if they have better oversight, how can we really know that protections are in place at the technological level. We know the NSA lies. Do we need a technical oversight team to augment congressional & executive oversight?

[WillyT]

16. K & R !!!

[ReRe]

17. A letter....

That'll do it! (not). Is that really all they can do? Write a letter? Thanks for the OP, ichingcarpenter.

[KittyWampus]

18. Wonderful. Some of these Senators would probably ask really pointed questions.

[TheKentuckian]

20. Good on them, to hell with the rest of the sorry fuckers.

[bvar22]

21. Only 26?

Man, this country is in REAL DEEP TROUBLE.

Watch General Clapper's "performance" in this video.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-june-10-2013/good-news--you-re-not-paranoid---nsa-oversight

Clapper doesn't need to "answer questions".
He NEEDS to be sitting in a Jail Cell,
and would be if there was anything left of our democracy.

[Ichingcarpenter]

22. agreed he lied to congress

let alone to the nation.



He's a bushie

[Comrade Grumpy]

23. They're all a bunch of racist, ratfucking paulbots.

Snowden Snowden Snowden Snowden Snowden Snowden Snowden

Move along now. Nothing to see here.