In this morning’s Washington Times, Rep. Mac Thornberry wrote about the ramifications, if Congressional Democrats get their way, of inserting the word ‘lawful’ into the FISA bill:
So the provision allowing surveillance on al Qaeda, as long as it is “lawful,” was crafted to grant the pressure groups what they want while providing their congressional allies a much needed political fig leaf. Unless the government can prove a negative [emphasis added mine] — that a foreign target will not make or receive a call from an American — a warrant is required. If a foreign target begins to discuss the “foreign affairs” of the United States, collection would have to stop. Otherwise, surveillance on Osama bin Laden or any other terrorist would not be “lawful.”
Are Janet Reno and Jamie Gorelick working behind the scenes to write such legislation?
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