Let’s Keep This FReepathon Moving and Wrap It Up, Folks!
Posted on 03/07/2020 3:03:28 PM PST by jazusamo
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is taking on a familiar role as a thorn in the side of leadership as Congress barrels toward a surveillance deadline with no deal in sight.
Paul, a libertarian-minded Republican, is pushing for broader surveillance court reforms to be included as part of any bill that reauthorizes or extends the expiring provisions of the USA Freedom Act, a 2015 law that overhauled the country’s intelligence programs.
"The time is ripe now. It’s an inflection point. You’ve got Republicans coming around to this," Paul said. "I think even the powers that be in the Senate, the Republicans that don't like it, they know that the president wants it, they know a lot of us who are reformers want it, and so I ultimately I think they acquiesce."
Paul isn’t the only GOP senator pushing reforms as part of the USA Freedom debate — Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), for example, is also deeply involved — but Paul has publicly emerged as the loudest voice within the Senate Republican Conference to demand changes to the court created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
His position puts him at odds with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has personally backed a clean extension of the three expiring provisions that relate to roving wiretaps, lone wolf surveillance and a controversial phone records program.
But with no deal in sight and the clock ticking, McConnell is likely to need cooperation from Paul to get legislation across the floor.
The GOP leader has yet to tee up any bill related to the expiring USA Freedom provisions. Instead, the chamber will take a procedural vote on Monday night on a mammoth energy package, with final passage of that bill expected on Tuesday or Wednesday. The surveillance deadline, March 15, is a Sunday; the Senate normally leaves town for the week on Thursday afternoon.
Paul says he won't support a short-term extension and appeared skeptical that he would back a larger deal that paired a USA Freedom extension with reforms to FISA, though he added that he could support some of the surveillance reforms if they get standalone votes, as amendments, for example.
He’s also pushing for an amendment vote to prohibit FISA warrants from being used against American citizens and to prohibit information obtained in the FISA courts from being used against a U.S. citizen in domestic courts.
“I’m not for any extension. I’m for fixing it. ... I'll vote no on any extension,” Paul said.
~snip~
Attorney General William Barr pitched Senate Republicans late last month on a “clean” extension of the USA Freedom provisions while promising to use his own rulemaking authority to make changes to the FISA process.
But Paul appears to have a powerful ally in Trump, who railed against the Obama-era FBI during an interview this week with Fox News, saying that the FBI “weaponized FISA” and “used it horribly.”
Trump told Republicans, including Paul and McConnell, during a meeting at the White House that he would not extend the USA Freedom provisions without FISA reforms. Paul quickly touted the news on Twitter, during a TV interview and with a small gaggle of reporters back at the Capitol.
“I think that helps. I think that the fact that he’s been explicit in saying no clean reauthorization ... without significant reforms, that was very apparent,” Paul told reporters. “Even the attorney general, I think, has decided he better catch the train and modulate what comes out rather than just opposing it.”
No clean legislation.
"On August 14, 2019, the outgoing Director of National Intelligence sent a letter to Congress stating the Trump Administration's intention to seek permanent extension of the provisions of FISA that under the terms of the USA FREEDOM Act are scheduled to expire on December 15, 2019, namely the "lone wolf" authority ..."
(USA Freedom Act Reauthorization)
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on reauthorizing the USA Freedom Act, which bans the bulk collection of private records. Among the… read more
Go for it, Sen. Paul. FISA has proven to be a political tool for Democrats. It must be unweaponized before it can be re-authorized and I think Trump is just such a person to veto any bill that doesn’t go far enough to do so.
Even if a new law prohibits use against US citizens, prohibits use in court cases, I am still against renewal. If it must pass, I wish it would also contain severe personal penalties including immediate loss of job, pension, and mandatory jail time for the judge and every single person who even touches a tainted document.
Secret courts are unconstitutional.
Paul’s a kook! Paul’s off his meds!!
We gotta support our government!
I agree, if it isn’t unweaponized it should be tubed.
FISA must be destroyed.
I don’t often agree with Paul but on this one I do.
This FISA court acted on false input, it has to be changed or done away with.
Let’s Keep This FReepathon Moving and Wrap It Up, Folks!
"Freedom Act"? Ever notice that every bill is named the exact opposite of what it does?
Yep, especially this one.
Did you forget the /s?
Hint, I give you all the abuse, that was used to over throw the 2016 election. No wonder POTUS Trump, isn't going to sign a "CLEAN-RENEWAL."
Cocaine Mitch is having wet dreams about a "CLEAN-RENEWAL." Attorney General Barr, not too far behind Cocaine Mitch, in his quest for a "CLEAN-RENEWAL." Remember Barr has history reference Ruby Ridge and Waco Texas, and it's not something to write home about.
“I don’t often agree with Paul but on this one I do.”
I almost always agree with Rand Paul and he almost always turns it to be right. In fact, when there is an issue I don’t understand, I often do a search to see what Rand Paul says about the issue.
Just because he is willing to buck the Republican party doesn’t make him wrong. He cares about the Constitution more than he cares about the Republican Party, and I think that is admirable.
I also think that makes him a natural ally with President Trump, because the President thinks the same way.
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LOL ..... when there is an issue on which I may need some perspective, I often do a search to see what YOU have said about it.
;-)
Wow! High praise indeed! I better stop making things up...
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lol
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