US government wins 1,856 to 0 in FISA spy court

[cali]

After revelations in the 1970's discovered decades of systemic abuse eavesdropping powers, the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was passed.

FISA made it a serious offense for government officials to monitor electronic communications of Americans without first obtaining a warrant from the newly set up FISA court (FISC). The court was a travesty of justice from the very outset. Not only did the court convene in total secrecy but its rulings were all classified. The standard of evidence for granting a warrant was weaker than the traditional "probable cause". Of course only Justice Department officials were present. No one could speak for the targets of the surveillance. The court was even housed in the Department of Justice.

<snip>

The amended law does require that FISA annually report the number of applications received and of those the number approved and rejected. The report for 2012 was issued last Tuesday by Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada. Of 1,856 applications received, every request was granted authorizing electronic surveillance and/or physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes.
In 2011 as well. the court did not deny any application either in whole or in part. In 2012, 40 applications were modified--less than 3%, and in 2011 30 applications were modified.
The Obama administration has also been interpreting the law in ways which extend even more the power of government for surveillance by allowing precisely the type of warrantless surveillance the act was supposed to prevent. In the FISA cases as surveillance expert Julian Sanchez puts it the law can be used to target even "an American citizen located within the United States, and no court or judge is required to approve or review the choice of which individuals to tap"

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/349532#ixzz2TID27KPE

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. FISA v. 4th Amendment, 1,856 to 0.

[cali]

2. yep. the mentality that everything is fine and dandy as long

as a FISA warrant is granted, is sickening.