Posted on 03/06/2020 11:46:08 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
President Donald Trump wants to see reforms to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) surveillance process before he endorses extending spying powers that are slated to expire in less than two weeks, according to one of the senators who met with Trump on the topic.
Trump “made it exceedingly clear” that he won’t accept a straight reauthorization, said Sen. Rand Paul, (R-Ky.), who has led efforts to curtail the federal government’s ability to spy on Americans.
“The president said he’s not signing without something happening,” Paul told reporters after the nearly 90-minute meeting with top lawmakers. “He pushed back very vigorously and said, ‘We’re not doing this.’”
Another person familiar with the meeting confirmed the account; the person was unauthorized to discuss the meeting and requested anonymity.
Concerns over FISA have been brought to the forefront with the December report by the Justice Department (DOJ) watchdog, which identified “at least 17 significant errors and omissions” in FISA warrants taken out in 2016 and 2017 by the FBI on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. The DOJ determined that at least two of the three renewals of the initial warrant were so flawed as to render them invalid. FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged to Congress the warrants resulted in illegal surveillance.
During the March 3 meeting with Trump, Attorney General William Barr made the case that the DOJ could make regulatory changes to satisfy the critics of the surveillance programs. The authorities could be renewed first and reforms worked out later. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), who also were present, preferred such an approach, those involved said.
“The president didn’t accept that,” Paul said.
(Excerpt) Read more at theepochtimes.com ...
Coronavirus funding already in the bag, so that takes the weapon away from Deep Staters. Go for it, Mr. President.
Maybe the FISA court will just overrule him and declare themselves omnipotent
We don’t need no stinkin’ Secret Courts in America!
....Trump “made it exceedingly clear” that he won’t accept a straight reauthorization of FISA without reforms.
Yes!
Nice.
Rand Paul is one of the few people in Washington DC who actually thinks about the Constitution.
The President is correct and these two worms are wrong. Enshrine the the corrections and improvements into law. Regulations are only as good as the current administration.
Rand Paul is one of the few people in Washington DC who actually thinks about the Constitution.
Which, often gets him into spats with both sides!
FISA courts were created in the 1970s, but after the Patriot Act and increased powers it gave, Intelligence Community use of them doubled and tripled quickly.
In sum, it took only 2 Presidential administrations and about 10 years for the deep state and permanent bureaucracy to totally corrupt them.
This is why Fed.gov can NEVER be trusted.
Rand upsets us every so often with his stubbornness, but I honestly wish we had many more Senators like him. If we did, my kids would not be starting their lives in massive debt to the government.
Amen to that!
“The president didn’t accept that,” Paul said."
And I agree with Trump. McConnell and Graham are using the "give us dessert and we promise to eat dinner after" argument that gave us the 1986 immigration amnesty and spending increases over the last 30 years.
I think if the FISA hadn't been used to stage a coup against Trump, th9ings would have been different.
What this is highlighting is that there are Republicans who have no problem with the corruption. At least with McConnell, I give him credit on judges. As far as Graham, he's talked a good game and may have been genuinely angry about how Kavanaugh was treated, but really hasn't done much for at least a year after promising to get to the root of (enter outrage here).
If the FISC remains alive, it must have screening to ensure that neither the judges nor the spooks will use it as a political weapon. The dossier animals should have been escorted out of the building five minutes after they pulled it out of their satchels.
We’ll have to put him up for president one day.
HOORAY Chief. Lots of parasitic, unnecessary, weaponized agencies in the republic. In a different time, they might have on a list of grievances of some very GREAT PEOPLE.
“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.” - Declaration
They have, haven’t they?
https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/
The should be no need for FISA warrants if the correct thing is done - abolish the FBI.
Well, the turd didn’t fall very far from the bull and his inculcated hatred of military personnel spills out where it can’t be hidden from time to time.
Damn I love this President! A backbone made of iron.
I got a better idea...do not renew the so called Patriot act... period
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