Well, they sure as hell cannot call this routine ‘metadata’ they have hoodwinked the FISA court rubber stamp okay with.
Recording the actual phone call or not even a call to anyone is plain old eavesdropping monitoring. They had damned well better have a named warrant for that.
your clintonian parser must be fried from overuse lately.
without a warrant, any such activity would not be admissible to court...
that doesn't mean they aren't doing it with no intention of submitting it to the courts. this would be 'legal' as it wouldn't be used against you... therefore, no warrant needed.
/clintonian-parser
Re-read the Patriot Act. Obama has determined that the following American citizens qualify as "terrorists" and therefore, under the provisions of the Patriot Act, he doesn't need a warrant to spy on:
Veterans
Christians
conservatives
gun owners
anyone who isn't black
anyone who didn't vote for him
Tea Partiers
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.