General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The NSA Scandal is a Bipartisan Cluster Fuck. [View all]okaawhatever
(9,457 posts)"on the record" he needs to get him "on the record" in a closed door meeting. If Wyden can then prove a problem, or illegality or whatever he will have a record of it and can take whatever corrective action as needed. If the corrective action is not forthcoming, then he as an elected official can discuss it in the upper or lower chamber publicly.
I have a problem with the hearings as they are now. It seems like a p.r. stunt for some of the congress people. They could be asking questions that are more definitive and purposeful. Why not ask Clapper if the nsa is currently using a program Congress has not been briefed on? Why not ask the Inspector General for a complete review and inspection? Why not have congress create laws that disallow the President or elected official from initiating an investigation on a person or group. Why not add serious jail time for any NSA employee cooperating with an investigation for political purposes. Create a whistle blower program so that if someone is using the program to target political enemies or dissidents they can report it to someone. (technically that exists with the IG, but maybe they need to strengthen the safeguards).
EPIC tracks the number of FISA warrants and outcomes. They also report various inspections. One of the things they reported was testimony from the FBI to Congress when they were giving their briefing on the program that said the Bush admin still hadn't matched up the warrants with the number of info requests. Clearly there is accountability. Also, the FISA court keeps getting slammed for being a rubber stamp court. If you look at the EPIC reports in some years there are 70-100 warrants that had to be modified or had to add additional info. In many instances they "took leave to re-present" instead of getting turned down when they didn't have as much info as the judge wanted, and denied without prejudice findings. That isn't a rubber stamp process.