What this proves is that the technology CAN be used to spy on political opponents,and campaign staff, and vote counters, judges, congress, etc.
The proper controls are not in place and that is a bigger threat to our freedom than anything else (ISIS, global warming, debt, whatever anyone is scared of). The technology can be used without a court order or oversight. A FISA court order is weak enough protection, but when even that isn’t needed our freedom depends on elected and/or unelected individuals with no oversight and unknown motives.
I’d argue that the proper controls cannot be put in place if the technology exists. Though a VERY small group using the technology for very specific targets may be ok and the problem could be that the number of people with access to the technology is the problem and not the tech itself.
It doesn’t matter if it has been done before or not in politics (e.g. Trump wiretapping), it should scare the #$!% out of EVERYONE. Once someone is in power who wants to use it to it’s full extent, that’s the end of free elections (and supreme court decisions, congressional votes, etc). And it could be an unknown three-letter-agency employee and not even the president running everything.
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