Secret court OKs continued US phone surveillance

Yahoo News ^ | 07/20/2013 | LARA JAKES

[Earthdweller]

WASHINGTON (AP) — A secret U.S. intelligence court renewed an order Friday to continue forcing Verizon Communications to turn over hundreds of millions of telephone records to the government each day in its search for foreign terror or espionage suspects.

The order by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has been in place for years but must be renewed every three months. It was exposed in June after former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden leaked details of two top secret U.S. surveillance programs that critics say violate privacy rights.

The order was set to expire Friday, and its renewal shows that the Obama administration and the court of 11 federal judges stand behind its legality.

In a statement, the office of National Intelligence Director James Clapper said it was confirming the Verizon renewal as part of an ongoing effort to make more information about the recently declassified programs as public as possible.

Clapper "has decided to declassify and disclose publicly that the government filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that the court renewed that authority," the statement said.

[Earthdweller]

From the body of the article.." Other major U.S. telephone carriers are similarly ordered to give records of their customers' calls to the NSA,..."

[P-Marlowe]

If GWB were still president, then the howls from the liberal media could be heard over the roar of an F5 tornado.

[Starboard]

Secret courts, executive orders, closed door meetings in congress, etc.

Hidden government across all three branches.

[no-to-illegals]

My compliments for reading the article. After reading the first sentence I knew was reading a lie and could not continue.

[EEGator]

Lovely, isn’t it?

[Georgia Girl 2]

Oh Yeh. Remember how the left railed agains’t the Patriot Act.

[Irenic]

Some days I just want to sit down and cry. That doesn’t help so we just keep trudging on and pushing back.

[True Grit]

Secret Court.....from where in hell do claim to have authority to decide on legal issues? Sounds more like a Kangaroo Court.

[SC_Pete]

THEY DID NOT STOP THE BOSTON BOMBER EVEN THOUGHT THE RUSSIANS WARNED THEM!!!

But they WILL listen to Tea Party officials because BIG SIS thinks that’s where the terrorist are. When the reality is this absurd, satire doesn’t have chance.

[I want the USA back]

Gov is just using terrorism as an excuse to gather information. If they would have just told us the truth, it would have been better. I don’t care if they gather the information. But they should not have done it sneakily.

They never told us they take pictures of all mail. They never admitted the new licence plates were made so the police scanners could snap a pic of them.

I know it’s hard for you government people, but just be honest.

[unixfox]

The can’t even keep the secret meeting a secret.

Like a bunch of junior high school girls.

[Triple]

Isn’t there a law (maybe FOIA) that says you are entitled to see all records the government is keeping on you? (if not under an active criminal investigation)

If so, I have an idea that could shut this down.

We get a freeper lawyer to post the form and process for making such requests, and we do a records access drive/protest.

We could cripple their capabilities, lawfully, by taxing their tyrannical system with lawful requests.

Let’s freep the NSA.

Anyone?

(Please forward or ping to anyone that could be helpful.)

[Vaduz]

Hidden government across all three branches.

That’s not government it’s something else and it’s growing.

[BipolarBob]

"The most transparent administration in history."

/sarc

[Count of Monte Fisto]

If GWB were still president, then the howls from the liberal media could be heard over the roar of an F5 tornado.

If GWB the Right would howl that NSA spying on all Americans was necessary to protect us from Al-CIA-duh and the program would continue despite whatever braying from the Corporate Media.

[TArcher]

"ERRORS CEASING TO BE DANGEROUS BE DANGEROUS WHEN IT IS PERMITTED FREELY TO CONTRAD..."

click click

{static}

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

[TArcher]

>>Isn’t there a law

Laws? Those are only for the little people.

And this Banana Republic doesn’t even have Bananas anymore.

>>We could cripple their capabilities, lawfully,
>>by taxing their tyrannical system with lawful requests.

They’ll just hire more Federally funded L.I.F.E.R. “Volunteers”.

But hey, since you asked...

http://www.foia.gov/

[JerseyDvl]

Finally using Alinsky right back them eh? I like the idea.

[af_vet_rr]

If GWB the Right would howl that NSA spying on all Americans was necessary to protect us from Al-CIA-duh and the program would continue despite whatever braying from the Corporate Media.

That's exactly what the RINOs were doing when the PATRIOT ACT was passed and when the Bush administration was trying to build a massive database about all citizens ("Information Awareness" project as it was called).

The RINOs and leftists wanted it, and while Congress scaled it back slightly, Bush ultimately got his way and helped create the tools that the libs are going to use against us (or are using against us).

[Slambat]

“Bush ultimately got his way and helped create the tools that the libs are going to use against us (or are using against us).”

So Bush set us up for Obama’s fundamental change? A
co-connspirator? It’s sure starting to look that way.