If the fact that four judges were involved is due to a baked in rotation process, I can buy that. As I have pointed out as well as you, the approval process is 99.98%. It is just a perfunctory exercise, which is why it needs to be changed.
-- ... the approval process is 99.98%. It is just a perfunctory exercise, which is why it needs to be changed. --
Judges are ill equipped to judge whether or not a person is an agent of a foreign power. They are good at fitting fact allegations to crimes, but not so good at matching fact allegations with being an agent of a foreign power.
The root violator here is the FBI. It can fabricate "might be an agent of a foreign power" with very thin fact basis. Call out of the country? You might be an agent of a foreign power. Travel out of the country? You might be an agent of a foreign power. What is the fact basis to challenge that? What is the fact threshold for probable cause a person is an agent of a foreign power? The secret court will not say. The standard for that determination is classified.
Have you read the recent opinions and orders from FISC? Interesting stuff. http://www.fisc.uscourts.gov/public-filings