[jeffc]

Is it the role of these FISA judges to be investigative? When handed an application from the FBI isn't it normal for the judge to ask, "Is this all you got?"

Or is this request/demand a way for the court to flush this down the memory hole and make it disappear ("We're still looking into it. Can't comment on an ongoing investigation.")?

[offduty]

There was a report yesterday on Fox that most of the FISA warrants that were approved by the FISC were done without a hearing.

While I’ve had search warrants signed by a judge without a hearing, you’d think something as important as securing a wiretap order on a Presidential campaign would require more than just an informal visit to a judge in chambers.

I wonder if it was done this way to circumvent having a court reporter present to take a transcript of the proceeding? Without a record it becomes “he said-she said”.