FBI Abused Spy Law But Only Like 280,000 Times in a Year

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

The FBI misused controversial surveillance powers more than 278,000 times between 2020 and early 2021 to conduct warrantless searches on George Floyd protesters, January 6 rioters who stormed the Capitol, and donors to a Congressional campaign, according to a newly unclassified court opinion.

Posted by lamplighter at 04:33 PM | 39 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... On Friday, the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court made public a heavily redacted April 2022 opinion [PDF] that details hundreds of thousands of violations of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) -- the legislative instrument that allows warrantless snooping.

The Feds were found to have abused the spy law in a "persistent and widespread" manner, according to the court, repeatedly failing to adequately justify the need to go through US citizens' communications using a law aimed at foreigners.

Section 702 is supposed to permit the federal government to spy on communications belonging to foreign individuals outside of America, theoretically to prevent criminal and terrorist acts. Those communications can sweep up phone calls, texts and emails with US persons, however, and are stored in massive databases. The FBI, CIA and NSA can search these communications without a warrant.

In the doublespeak world of American intelligence, such information isn't technically stored; it's only considered so if it's actually used by analysts. And while foreign communications are fair game, the Feds can search about three levels down in data -- ie, who the suspect talked to, and who their contact spoke to, and the next line in the communications link -- so think Kevin Bacon levels of contacts. ...

Link to the PDF is available in the article...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-05-23 11:44 AM | Reply

Not surprised nor shocked and this should be something that concerns both sides of the political spectrum.

#2 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2023-05-23 12:20 PM | Reply

#2 It should concern both sides of the political spectrum - I agree with you about that. Sadly, it clearly does NOT concern the Democrats and most of the left. In fact those people probably think this is a pittance and that the number should be much higher.

#3 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 12:43 PM | Reply

LOL, it was the left warning about this 20 years ago while all y'all told us we were being hysterical.

If you weren't such a bellend I'd be welcoming you as a new ally, but --, Jeff, you don't get to clutch your pearls and bitch about it now that it's being turned against you.

#4 | Posted by Hagbard_Celine at 2023-05-23 12:54 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 5

"LOL, it was the left warning about this 20 years ago "

It's the left that is cheering this now, hypocrite.

#5 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 12:55 PM | Reply

I've always opposed unlawful activity by law enforcement. So take your straw and shove it.

#6 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 12:56 PM | Reply

"I've always opposed unlawful activity by law enforcement. So take your straw and shove it."

Here's where someone get's to remind Jeff that he's probably the biggest and most consistent liar on this site.

#7 | Posted by Hagbard_Celine at 2023-05-23 01:15 PM | Reply

It's the left that is cheering this now, hypocrite.

#5 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Liar.

Which "left" post is cheering this?

The ones in your head don't count.

#8 | Posted by donnerboy at 2023-05-23 01:31 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#7. To bite someone else's ankle, hack.

Over the past 4 years I watched Horowitz and now Durham expose all sorts of beyond alarming malfeasance and unlawful activity by the FBI and I haven't witnessed a single Democrat condemn it. Most applauded it. Same for the left. The only lefties who've condemned it are old school liberals like Turley, Taibbi, Greenwald and a few others. As a civil libertarian I've always opposed government intrusion into our personal lives particularly when it comes to private communication. Just because you are a hack doesn't mean everyone is. Quit projecting.

#9 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 01:32 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Durham reached into a cat box and still couldn't find a turd to hold. What a waste of 4 years.

#10 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2023-05-23 01:40 PM | Reply

#10 Exhibit A

#11 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 01:51 PM | Reply

Where are the charges, jeff?

Durham masturbated for four years. It's not my fault you liked the taste of it.

#12 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2023-05-23 01:52 PM | Reply

#12 Because he declined to prosecute means the FBI did nothing wrong?

The Horowitz IG report showed all sorts of malfeasance and no prosecutions from that either. Does that mean the IG report is just a big nothingburger too?

"TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2023
FBI abused spy law but only like 280,000 times in a year"

Probably nobody will be prosecuted so that makes abusing spy law okay?

#13 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 01:59 PM | Reply

This shouldn't even be a partisan issue.

#14 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 02:00 PM | Reply

Mueller declined to prosecute.

Discuss.

#15 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2023-05-23 02:14 PM | Reply

I'd like to point out that the FBI is mostly republican and I don't like their history.

That said, I don't suddenly hate the FBI because they raided Trump.

#16 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2023-05-23 02:15 PM | Reply

"FBI is mostly republican"

How do you figure?

They are acting as an arm of the Democratic Party, currently.

#17 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 02:43 PM | Reply

"Mueller declined to prosecute."

Mueller didn't find a collusion conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Putin.

#18 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-23 02:44 PM | Reply

"Mueller declined to prosecute."
Mueller didn't find a collusion conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Putin.
#18 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

The investigation produced 37 indictments; seven guilty pleas or convictions; and compelling evidence that the president obstructed justice on multiple occasions. Mueller also uncovered and referred 14 criminal matters to other components of the Department of Justice.

Trump associates repeatedly lied to investigators about their contacts with Russians, and President Trump refused to answer questions about his efforts to impede federal proceedings and influence the testimony of witnesses.

A statement signed by over 1,000 former federal prosecutors concluded that if any other American engaged in the same efforts to impede federal proceedings the way Trump did, they would likely be indicted for multiple charges of obstruction of justice.
www.acslaw.org

Whoops!

#19 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2023-05-23 02:54 PM | Reply

"FBI is mostly republican"
How do you figure?
#17 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Law enforcement officers are typically conservative.

scholar.princeton.edu
www.reuters.com

#20 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2023-05-23 02:58 PM | Reply

Abolish the FBI.

#21 | Posted by tres_flechas at 2023-05-23 04:19 PM | Reply

They are acting as an arm of the Democratic Party, currently.

The FBI acts in the best interest of the FBI all the time and they do not switch sides willy nilly because of who is in charge despite what Sean Hannity tells you.

Mueller didn't find a collusion conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Putin.

Keep polishing that turd.

#22 | Posted by Nixon at 2023-05-24 01:20 PM | Reply

Like most law enforcement in America, the FBI is also broken.

#23 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2023-05-24 03:59 PM | Reply

#23 You may very well be the first left-leaning person on this site to acknowledge that.

#24 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-24 04:00 PM | Reply

"Abolish the FBI.
#21 | POSTED BY TRES_FLECHAS"

This is literally the first coherent thing I have ever seen you post. I used to think you were the dumbest poster on this site, then I interacted with Rusty, Lamp, etc and you have moved up in my book through no action of your own.

#25 | Posted by Claudio at 2023-05-24 11:34 PM | Reply

@#25 ... This is literally the first coherent thing I have ever seen you post. ...

OK, I have to note, that before an alias starts talking about "coherent" maybe, just maybe that alias should be coherent in its posts.

Or, are you taking the FoxNews approach, that you agree with the comment because it is what you wanted to hear?

#26 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-05-24 11:44 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"#26 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER"

I referenced you in #25 because you earned it. No need to be butthurt now.

#27 | Posted by Claudio at 2023-05-24 11:52 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Joe Henry - Trampoline
www.youtube.com

#28 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-05-24 11:53 PM | Reply

@#27 ... I referenced you in #25 because you earned it. No need to be butthurt now. ...

My butt does not hurt.

That aside, I merely asked why your current alias seems to agree with the #21 comment.

Of course, now I add another question...

Why does your current alias seem to be so intent upon avoiding the question I posed?

#29 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-05-24 11:58 PM | Reply

@#27 ... I referenced you in #25 because you earned it. No need to be butthurt now. ...

And, I'll note that I did not comment upon your reference of me in @25.

So, why did your current alias seem to need to bring that up?

#30 | Posted by LampLighter at 2023-05-25 12:00 AM | Reply

"That aside, I merely asked why your current alias seems to agree with the #21 comment."

Because I have same thing many times here. Tres did not expand on his reasoning so there is nothing to comment on other than his conclusion - which is correct. I really don't know why this needs to be explained to you as this is not rocket science.

"Why does your current alias seem to be so intent upon avoiding the question I posed?
#29 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER"

Because your questions have the utility of ---- on a boar hog.

#31 | Posted by Claudio at 2023-05-25 12:02 AM | Reply

#24

I strongly doubt that you and I think law enforcement is broken in the same way.

#32 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2023-05-25 12:02 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"Because your questions have the utility of ---- on a boar hog."

Yeah, I can totally appreciate how you would feel that way. And so does everybody else.

LOL, they filter out synonyms for mammalian protruberances.

#33 | Posted by Hagbard_Celine at 2023-05-25 12:08 PM | Reply

" I strongly doubt that you and I think law enforcement is broken in the same way.

#32 | POSTED BY WHATSLEFT AT 2023-05-25 12:02 PM | FLAG: "

You will probably be surprised. I'd be willing to bet we are LOT closer on this than you realize.

#34 | Posted by BellRinger at 2023-05-25 12:08 PM | Reply

The entire FISA court workflow needs revision. There is little or no transparency, oversight or accountability. Recipe for disaster. Sensitive investigations (like public corruption)require some level of confidentiality, but at some point, the "secret" records need to become open. The knowledge that they will may provide some incentive for those with bad intent to reexamine their tactics.

I have interacted with dozens of FBI agents during my time as a Federal Officer, and then a Municipal Officer as part of interagency task forces I didn't like any of them. Pompous, arrogant -------- with very little actual law enforcement experience. They love to stir up trouble then drive away and leave it for the locals to sort out. Or swoop in at the end to get a photo op taking credit for a covert operation, without regard to the fact that the locals weren't finished and they made the covert op no longer covert by bragging about it on TV. Most of them went into it thinking they were going to be heroes like on TV and remain frustrated at the very limited jurisdiction they actually have. "Federal law gives the FBI authority to investigate all federal crime not assigned exclusively to another federal agency". That leaves less than people realize. Lots of them spend their entire careers sitting outside embassies photographing license plates in the name of "counter terrorism". If you get invited into their inner sanctum, (Langley, Quantico or local field offices) you find most of them on their computers playing solitaire or shopping online.

#35 | Posted by Miranda7 at 2023-05-25 05:40 PM | Reply

" you find most of them on their computers playing solitaire or shopping online.
#35 | POSTED BY MIRANDA7"

Wait, are you telling me that the government is full of useless people without an actual job or contributing something productive to taxpayers? Well, I am shocked, shocked I tell you.

#36 | Posted by Claudio at 2023-05-25 10:32 PM | Reply

They are acting as an arm of the Democratic Party, currently.

#17 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Republican: *Breaks Laws*

FBI: *Investigates*

Jeffy: "The FBI is acting as an arm of the Democratic Party!"

Just a suggestion: STOP BREAKING THE LAW, --------!

#37 | Posted by Sycophant at 2023-05-26 10:36 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Lawmakers lie to themselves and to all of us. They are convinced that if they give law enforcement slack they will use it responsibly and in our collective best interest. But as we all can, and all of already knew, that simply is not human nature.

#38 | Posted by moder8 at 2023-05-26 11:44 AM | Reply

" It's the left that is cheering this now"

Nonsense. The left has been clear any violations which rise to criminal activity should be prosecuted. Where the roads diverge is you want to give guilty Rs a pass because of it.

You've yet to condemn the crimes; you only condemn the methods of discovery.

#39 | Posted by Danforth at 2023-05-26 12:45 PM | Reply