Senators' letter to US director of national intelligence James Clapper

The Guardian has just published a letter from 26 US Senators to Clapper demanding answers regarding the the collection of phone records and other surveillance programs. Is yours among the signatories? If not, it might be time to ask them why.

In our view, the bulk collection and aggregation of Americans' phone records has a significant
impact on Americans' privacy that exceeds the issues considered by the Supreme Court in Smith
v. Maryland. That decision was based on the technology of the rotary--dial era and did not
address the type of ongoing, broad surveillance of phone records that the government is now
conducting. These records can reveal personal relationships, family medical issues, political and
religious affiliations, and a variety of other private personal information.
...
To ensure that an informed discussion on PATRIOT Act authorities can take place, we ask that you direct the Intelligence Community to provide unclassified answers to the following questions:

- How long has the NSA used PATRIOT Act authorities to engage in bulk collection of Americans' records? Was this collection underway when the law was reauthorized in 2006?

- Has the NSA used USA PATRIOT Act authorities to conduct bulk collection of any other types of records pertaining to Americans, beyond phone records'?

- Has the NSA collected or made any plans to collect Americans' cell--site location data in bulk'?

Senators' letter to US director of national intelligence James Clapper

reply to post by Archie


Do you have a text list of the signatories? I'm having a hard time getting from the link or from Google. Thanks in advance.

edit: Found it:

The senators [Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Udall (D-CO), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tom Udall (D-NM), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jon Tester (D-MT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dean Heller (R-NV), Mark Begich (D-AK), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Al Franken (D-MN), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Max Baucus (D-MT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mike Lee (R-UT)] have seven specific questions for Clapper:

reply to post by tridentblue


I didn't see any from California on your list. Frickin figures. Greedy lazy ass politicians.

reply to post by Archie


There should have been 100 senators on this list and unfortunately none are from Ohio.

I am disappointed in my elected officials.

The heat has just started to be turned up.. Court cases, Senate inquiries, angry friendly governments, pesky radio interviews... Clapper and his 'least lying' attitude are in full panic mode...

And just to refresh our collective memories:

reply to post by Archie


I don't read cursive

Mostly D's on the list, and none are from my home state. I too am disappointed in my elected officials. But I found a good list here --> Senators of the 113th Congress so I'll be writing a letter today.

The senators who signed the letter are:
Ron Wyden (D-Ore.),
Mark Udall (D-Colo.),
Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska),
Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.),
Mark Kirk (R-Ill.),
Dick Durbin (D-Ill.),
Tom Udall (D-N.M.),
Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii),
Jon Tester (D-Mt.),
Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.),
Dean Heller (R- Nev.),
Mark Begich (D-Alaska),
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.),
Patty Murray (D-Wash.),
Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.),
Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii),
Al Franken (D-Minn.),
Tom Harkin (D-Iowa),
Chris Coons (D-Del.),
Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.),
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.),
Max Baucus (D-Mont.),
Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),
Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.),
Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.).
Mike Lee (R-Utah).

Demanding James Clapper give 'answers' is like demanding a hen house egg inventory from a fox !!

Does anyone REALLY think those Senators will get genuine responses ?

I think the 'letter' is just another "puppy petting" exercise.

The entire NSA scandal as well as the IRS scandal is mired by mostly lies from officials.

In fact, the whole current state of government is mired by lies from officials.

The mostly Democrats and the few Republicans who signed this are scurrying for position and preparing for the 2014 elections.

I wonder how much taxpayer money was spent to "research" and "write" the letter.
Lots of lawyers involved you know.

Originally posted by xuenchen
Demanding James Clapper give 'answers' is like demanding a hen house egg inventory from a fox !!

Does anyone REALLY think those Senators will get genuine responses ?

I think the 'letter' is just another "puppy petting" exercise.

The entire NSA scandal as well as the IRS scandal is mired by mostly lies from officials.

In fact, the whole current state of government is mired by lies from officials.

The mostly Democrats and the few Republicans who signed this are scurrying for position and preparing for the 2014 elections.

I wonder how much taxpayer money was spent to "research" and "write" the letter.
Lots of lawyers involved you know.

Hate hate hate politicians but Wyden and Merkley aren't too bad. We could have had worse.

How about this.

Harris StingRay II


publicintelligence.net...

And this cell phone tower intercept device is used all over by police. And grabs all traffic to the tower not just a single persons data.

online.wsj.com...

reply to post by Archie


If you look at clapper's physical gestures he looks nervous and he definitely doesn't look like he's telling the truth. Rubbing his forehead and staring down at the table, are signs of being dishonest.

Yay Oregon!

Archie, I'd like to thank you again personally for your ongoing contributions on this subject. I'm liking your posts as much as Glenn Greenwald's articles!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, we can't deal with reality until we know what the truth is and any government or representative of that government that lies to We the People is guilty of the utmost treason. Unlike Snowden, who simply told the truth.

First of all, this is all symbolic, because Clapper would and will get up in front of congress and lie with impunity.

Second, the ones who did not sign this letter are probably ones that are buried up to their ears in dirt, and the NSA can simply blackmail them if they dare open their mouths.

The truth will come out. Hastings may have found this out before he was assassinated.

reply to post by Archie


26% of our senators pretends they care!


if You people really think these senators care then I should have called you sheeple!

Originally posted by Mnemicrsl
reply to post by tridentblue

 

I didn't see any from California on your list. Frickin figures. Greedy lazy ass politicians.

Not lazy, doing as they are told. California's economy depends on the profits of those corporations involved in the development of the systems used to perform this data collection: network hardware, storage systems, supercomputers, digital signal processing (DSP), AI systems, prediction algorithms, ASIC's.

Originally posted by nosacrificenofreedom
reply to post by Archie

 

if You people really think these senators care then I should have called you sheeple!

edit on 30-6-2013 by nosacrificenofreedom because:

That's cynical, fat & lazy short-cut thinking. Are you happy with them only pretending to care, as you say? Is that okay with you or you couldn't really give a #? You really could care less about all of it? You're happy to hang out with your friends in your field and eat grass, eh? Ah ha, so who's the sheeple now? (unsure whether 'sheeple' is singular or collective but as it's a very stupid made-up word, I guess it doesn't matter).