10.08.2013 - 15:23 [ Techdirt ]

NSA‘s Rules Allowing Warrantless Searches On Americans Came THE SAME DAY It Was Told Searches Violated 4th Amendment

If you don‘t recall, about a year ago, under pressure from Senator Wyden, the US government admitted (late on a Friday evening) that, indeed, the FISA court had „on one occasion“ ruled that certain activities concerning Section 702 „minimization“ (i.e., trying to avoid searches on US persons) were „unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment.“ And yet, that very same day, the NSA announced that the rules had changed and it could do searches on US persons, following a certain (undisclosed) „oversight process.