Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines spying as “…to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes…” which seems to accurately describe what the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, has been used. Sure, the intelligence community uses it to spy on foreign actors, but they also use it to spy on Americans.
Speaker Mike Johnson was a critic of the foreign spy program before he was speaker. Funny and sick how the establishment vacuums your brain cells up!
“When I was a member of Judiciary, I saw all of the abuses of the FBI — there were terrible abuses, over and over and over,” Johnson said. “And then when I became Speaker, I went to the SCIF and got the confidential briefing from sort of the other perspective on that, to understand the necessity of Section 702 of FISA and how important it is for national security. And it gave me a different perspective,” he continued. “So I encourage all the members to go to the classified briefing and hear all that and see it so they can evaluate the situation for themselves. And I think some opinions have changed both ways, but that’s part of the process. You’ve got to be fully informed.”
“These were views that the Speaker deeply held, like, 20 minutes ago,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said Wednesday shortly before leading an effort to tank a procedural vote that would have kicked off debate on the broader FISA reform bill, The Hill reports.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has already published evidence showing FISA, specifically section 702, was used to spy on a candidate for President and continued after Mr. Trump won office.
A court order released in 2022 showed that the FBI repeatedly misused FISA in protest and January 6th investigations. The FBI was also found using FISA to investigate political campaign donors. Now, as Congress is debating renewing this tool of abuse and tyranny, we’re supposed to believe that the FBI and other executive agencies won’t continue their abuse of our rights?
Does anyone else feel like Charlie Brown sees Congress Lucy holding a football for us to kick?
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, has been used to spy on Americans. That’s not what the American people were told when, after the 9/11 attacks, we let our fear drive our elected representatives to pass this legislation, but that is what it has become. Now, as the infamous Section 702 is up for renewal, we are told by the intelligence community and members of Congress that they need this legislation to keep us safe. Doesn’t anyone else remember Benjamin Franklin’s words?
“They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security.” – Benjamin Franklin.
What is worse than giving up our essential liberty to be secure from unreasonable searches for the promise of the intelligence community to keep us safe, only to watch them abuse the powers given to them? Allowing our elected employees to vote away our rights for another five years.
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Image: AP
