Posted on 01/04/2020 7:40:44 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
A Republican senator said he would vote to repeal the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act following a scathing report that found serious problems in how the FBI sought to wiretap a former Trump campaign adviser.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a longtime critic of the FISA program, told One America News Network on Saturday that the audit released last month by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz was a wake-up call to "stop allowing the American people to be subjected to this type of abuse and manipulation."
"We should all be scared to death," Lee said. "We shouldn't rest until FISA is either repealed entirely or drastically, dramatically reformed."
Horowitz's team found 17 "significant errors and omissions" in the FBI’s efforts to obtain a warrant and three renewals from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to surveil onetime Trump campaign aide Carter Page electronically as part of its counterintelligence investigation into members of President Trump's campaign and their ties to Russia. Page, an American citizen, was never charged with any wrongdoing.
Horowitz did not find evidence that it was motivated by political bias in the opening of its counterintelligence investigation, but he was unable to say if bias tainted the process of obtaining FISA warrants against Page. Following the release of Horowitz's report, Attorney General William Barr said the FBI had "insufficient" evidence to justify steps taken in the Trump-Russia investigation and is overseeing a related criminal inquiry by U.S. Attorney John Durham.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
“I like Mike”
(On THIS issue, at least)
Agree, nice to see Senator Lee getting something right, for once. FISA served a good purpose, and did help on a number of terrorism cases...but sorry, if the FBI cannot behave like adults, then they’ll have to figure out other ways to do their jobs.
And if it means taking a few terrorism blows, so be it - we can absorb that...what we cannot absorb is our intelligence and law enforcement people thinking they choose our leaders.
It should be repealed.
I still don’t like Bush League Republicans that want to turn the USA into North Mexico.
Basically, all that meant was that nobody Horowitz interviewed was stupid enough to expressly admit that the investigations against Trump were politically motivated.
The FISA court has done good things in stopping terrorism. That is good. The FISA court has also become a venue for most illegitimate and illegal actions against our citizens.
Its ability to do good has become far less than its ability to do bad. It has become a “Star Chamber” where the accused does not even know he is accused. This violates all past law of an accused to be able to confront his accusers in court.
The Fisa Courts must be disbanded.
I well remember conversations with my friend years ago about the FISA court. My position was in the hands of an honest and moral leadership it could do good. At the same time I recognized its ability to do great harm. I was against the FISA courts from the beginning. My fears are correct.
Mueller was supposed to fix the problems with the FISA courts when he was FBI Director. It was not a coincidence that Comey wanted him appointed Special Prosecutor.
Is Lee’s cloakroom buddy Ben Sasse also gonna vote to repeal FISA?
Otherwise, talk is cheap...
Power corrupts, Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
FISA courts have the power to bypass and subvert the constitutional authority of the 3 branches of the federal government. How much power is that?
Awfully nice of Mike to suggest repainting the barn after the cattle destroyed the door and everything in it. If FISC is ended without a complete overhaul of the intelligence agencies, nothing is accomplished.
“...”We should all be scared to death,” ...”
Nah, Mike. Not scared. Pissed off beyond your wildest dreams, yes.
And still waiting for democrat heads to roll over this.
crickets......
You are right on this one. I was a FISA supporter but not anymore. In the hands of a corrupt FBI it could clearly be abused, and this goes to the Chief Justice. Otherwise it would be shut off now.
The posts on this thread, so far, are an example of FreeRepublic at its very best.
FISA should be done away with. The FBI, CIA, IRS and ATF should be padlocked.
The RINO pos got a wakeup call. Wonder what it was, and whether it happened in Baghdad.
Yep - at least he’s still right some of the time...I remember when we considered him a Conservative Giant...then Trump came along and unmasked him.
It’s more simple than that. Here’s the litmus test: Is it constitutional. Answer: No.
Weaponized. The FISC was a useful tool against terrorists. But, Barak Mohammed Obama turned it against a presidential candidate for purely political reasons. If they willing to target a presidential candidate, you and I are much less regarded. Shut it down.
H-1B Lee is a real POS.
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