Feinstein promotes bill to strengthen NSA's hand on warrantless searches

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Feinstein promotes bill to strengthen NSA's hand on warrantless searches

Spencer Ackerman in Washington
theguardian.com, Friday 15 November 2013 15.02 GMT

A Senate bill promoted as a surveillance reform would codify the ability of the National Security Agency to search its troves of foreign phone and email communications for Americans’ information, and permit law enforcement agencies to search the vast databases as well.

The Fisa Improvements Act, promoted by Dianne Feinstein, the California Democrat who chairs the Senate intelligence committee, would both make permanent a loophole permitting the NSA to search for Americans’ identifying information without a warrant – and, civil libertarians fear, contains an ambiguity that might allow the FBI, the DEA and other law enforcement agencies to do the same thing.

“For the first time, the statute would explicitly allow the government to proactively search through the NSA data troves of information without a warrant,” said Michelle Richardson, the surveillance lobbyist for the ACLU.

“It may also expand current practices by allowing law enforcement to directly access US person information that was nominally collected for foreign intelligence purposes. This fourth amendment back door needs to be closed, not written into stone.”

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/15/feinstein-bill-nsa-warrantless-searches-surveillance

[HooptieWagon]

1. Of course.

Just follow the money.

[boomersense]

2. Someday someone will no longer be afraid to say exactly what they think of

this horrible woman. My God, she is near a Mossad functionary.

[tkmorris]

3. Diane Feinstein is a horrible human being

I have to go back to Zell Miller to find a Democrat I liked less than her. It might be easier to grin and bear it if she was the Senator from Montana, or Iowa, or some such but CALIFORNIA?!? That's the best we can manage from there? Bloody hell.

[Le Taz Hot]

4. Feinstein is a CDP darling.

She's entrenched and they like entrenched. Challengers are told early on, "Don't even try it." Unfortunately, she's got 5 more years. She'll be almost 80 by then and I'd think even she would have enough blood money by then.

The sad thing is? The Democrats have got a really deep bench of GREAT people to take her place -- Kamala Harris, Debra Bowen, Gavin Newsome, John Garamendi and those are off the top of my head. The only thing the CDP cares about is two D's from California in the Senate.

[HooptieWagon]

5. California can do much better.

Somewhat similar situation here in FL, where the state party is out of touch with the Dem voters. Party focus is on electing and protecting corporate Dems, rank and file is much more progressive. Yes, some districts require a more moderate Dem to win a GE...but there are many solidly blue districts that could easily elect a real liberal.

[rhett o rick]

8. The national Democratic Party machine is conservative. nm

[woo me with science]

6. Corporate fascism, coming from self-described "Democrats."

And we don't have a problem in our party?

[hughee99]

7. Finally, I'm glad to see someone willing to speak up for the poor NSA.

They just want the NSA to be able to rifle through all the data they've collected without having to show anyone a reason for doing so. What's the big deal?

Remember the "FISA courts are making sure the NSA isn't violating..." defense (no one believed it, but it WAS a defense). If Feinstein's law passes, people won't be able to use that one any more.