They're Hiding Something Bad

With all the spewing from the Bushies over how the NYT's exposure of the NSA's illegal spying activities upon American citizens is “a shameful act” the real scandal is going unexplored.

The Bushies are slobbering about how they need to move fast and seeking approval, as required by law, from the FISA court is far too slow. This is patently false and is a total lie. The FISA court always gives approval and the process does not even require them to seek a warrant before acting, but it does require them to justify their actions within 72 hours. The FISA law is limited where it can be employed: “the target of the electronic surveillance is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power: Provided, That no United States person may be considered a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power solely upon the basis of activities protected by the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”

So if the FISA court process is not slow, does not hinder intelligence gathering, and applied for warrants are always issued – why didn't the Bushies follow the law? Could they be hiding illegal spying on political enemies – say Democrats? Could they be hiding a new technology so invasive that the even the FISA court would object?

More to come.
Posted on The Human Stain