[Mo1]

But since 2001, the judges have modified 179 of the 5,645 requests for surveillance by the Bush administration, the report said. A total of 173 of those court-ordered "substantive modifications" took place in 2003 and 2004.

What exactly is meant by "modified"??

The Court changed the application or the rules??

And if so .. are they allowed to change or amend them??

[Howlin]

Appeals panel rejects secret court's limits on terrorist wiretaps

From Terry Frieden

CNN
Tuesday, November 19, 2002 Posted: 1:24 AM EST (0624 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States has broad authority to use wiretaps and other surveillance techniques to hunt for suspected terrorists, a federal appeals court panel ruled Monday.

In a 56-page opinion overturning a May decision by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the three-judge panel said the expanded wiretap guidelines sought by Attorney General John Ashcroft under the new USA Patriot Act law do not violate the Constitution. (More on the USA Patriot Act)

The ruling by the special panel from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia gives broad surveillance authority to counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism investigators to track individuals considered potential national security threats.

"Our case may well involve the most serious threat our country faces," the panel declared.

The reversal of May's decision by a federal judge represents a victory for the Justice Department and the FBI, which were harshly criticized by the lower court judge for its handling of wiretap applications, and their interpretation of the authority granted the government by the USA Patriot Act.


http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/11/18/spy.court.ruling/

[Dog]

What exactly is meant by "modified"??

Bush asked the court to do X...they court ordered him to do Y.....understand?

[Howlin]

Table I. FISA Surveillance and Physical Search Orders 1979-1997<8>

 

1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988
199	319	431	473	549	635	587	573	512	534
1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
546	595	593	484	509	576	697	839	749

[Peach]

I didn't know they could modify the warrants and don't know how it is they can do it.

And this:

A review of Justice Department reports to Congress by Hearst newspapers shows the 26-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court modified more wiretap requests from the Bush administration than the four previous presidential administrations combined.

So FISA rejected more applications during the Bush administration than in the previous 4 administrations (24 years).

And in view of 9/11, this tells me EVERYTHING I need to know about the court.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping....lots to chew on with this thread....

[BigSkyFreeper]

The way I look at it, the Judicial branch overreached into the Legislative branch's jurisdiction of power. Instead of interpreting the laws and rules of this country, they modified some or perhaps even created new ones.

Clearly a sign of an out of control judiciary.