Posted on 08/24/2013 6:18:02 AM PDT by xzins
The National Security Agency (NSA) has admitted some of their officers misused the agencys massive spying powers to keep tabs on their love interests, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Friday night.
NSA employees reportedly dubbed the practice with its very own spy label: LOVEINT.
U.S. officials said some of the violations included overseas communications, but claimed the practice was very rare, according to the WSJ.
Officials reportedly said all employees involved were appropriately disciplined. The incidents were often self-reported, revealed while the officers took polygraph tests during routine security clearance renewals, according to the WSJ.
NSA has zero tolerance for willful violations of the agencys authorities, the NSA said in a statement Friday.
The revelations come in the wake of learning this week that the NSA had violated privacy rules on thousands of occasions. NSA Chief Compliance Officer John DeLong had stressed earlier most violations were unintentional.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) told the WSJ that the NSA admitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee policies were violated in a set of isolated incidents.
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
It likely means they got some extra paid time off.
> Wonder if they’re the source of Petraeus’ “love interest” revelation.
That and other politicians they needed to bend to their will to get them “in on the program”. Wonder why so many politicians have flipped on issues? This is probably one of them.
Who was the woman in Florida who seemed to collect high ranking military officers on her social calendar? Likely she was the setup person for compromising a bunch of brass. (Kelly? iirc, although I can’t recall)
Yet, the program has defenders on our side. McCain, Chambliss, King, Boehner, Mike Rogers, Graham, Christie, etc...
Well someone fed a bunch of information on Romney to the white-hut. Remember that? Private stuff only the IRS would know.
Yes. It shows that the apparatus to listen to anyone, anywhere, at any time is in place. And that they are willing and able to employ it for legitimate and nefarious purposes.
Seems most GOP in Congress may be under NSA “watch”...by the way they behave...
I get it now. Zero tolerance has something to do with Obama. Like what would Zero tolerate? In this case I guess Zero was mighty tolerant.
Indeed. The “Big Data” analytical tools available today are enormously powerful. Their capabilities are beyond the comprehension of most Americans who don’t keep up with advancements in the information technology field. These tools require careful oversight of their use to avoid “mission creep” and intrusive and unauthorized violations of citizen privacy.
These incidents were bound to happen. But sadly they will continue as bureaucracies are used to operating sub rosa and deceiving congress when necessary.
Seems most GOP in Congress may be under NSA watch...by the way they behave...
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Even if they aren’t, they are nevertheless very fearful of it and acting out of caution.
I agree. They can listen to anybody. It might take a court order in some or most cases and perhaps none in some or all. This is certainly the case. NSA has conceded this point. But the requirements and compliance with court orders is still a bit fuzzy, at least IMHO.
But the idea that they collect "everything" is just nonsense. This assumes they are collecting digitized audio of all the U.S. phone calls and are putting them is a database system that can be searched.
I don't think so. Lots of speculation that they do. No evidence that they have the capability to do it and that they are doing it. If for no other reason it would be a huge waste of resources as well as being against the law.
So if you have some solid evidence, Snowden or otherwise, lets hear it.
But ever since this Administration has been in power, I've changed it to, "Life is like middle school." It's the cruel onrush of puberty, and the kind of kids who kill small animals or their parents, bully other kids until they commit suicide, steal all the candy and are too immature to work.
Zero tolerance has something to do with Obama.
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It all depends on how NSA parses and defines ‘zero tolerance”, just like how they conveniently interpret the word “collection” so as to avoid accountability. This is an agency that is very good at semantics as they have a lot of experience with interpreting words.
“Does that mean they were fired?”
They will likely get a bad review after the investigation, while they are on paid administrative leave, which will be completed in a few months. This will probably have a negative impact on their raise this year. So there!
</barfsarc>
Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!
To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I dont add you to the list...
That’s a good point. Romney could do the country a favor by taking on the administration and the IRS over their criminal exploitation of his personal tax information. This abuse of power must end.
I assume since these boys broke the law they were arrested and tried for a crime...
just kidding
we all know better ...
Or maybe their paychecks were cut..
nope not that either...
How about they were 'told off' with a wink and a nod? Nah - or just the wink and nod? Now we've got it. (Send 'em the bedbug letter)
That’s unexpected. Who would have guessed that an immense database tracking every aspect of our lives would be abused?
How many isolated incidents does it take to make a "set"? And how many can you have before they aren't isolated anymore?
NSA spying on American citizens without an individual warrant based on that probable cause has defenders in the Republican Party, but that violation of the Bill of Rights has no defenders on the side of the American people.
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