Re:Secret government: America against democracy
by mtgx on Tuesday July 09, 2013 @05:57PM
(#6015854)
> FISC judges issue warrants which can be overturned by federal courts
How? EFF and ACLU have tried that a few times, and they've been rejected by federal Courts either because "they had no standing" - and they can't get standing because they can't get the proof whether they're being spied upon or not because the government keeps it secret (and has rejected all FOIA requests for it), or because the government appealed state privileges.
They've made it in such a way that it it's almost impossible to do it without someone actually leaking all this stuff out. Even Ron Wyden, who was in the intelligence committee didn't know all the facts, and even if he did, he couldn't even tell it to the rest of the Congress.
Everything about this whole process was air tight, so you can't appeal it in any way, or stop it. I've watched the FISA Amendments Act voting. All the Congress heard about it was that "it's necessary to protect against terrorists, so vote for it". And Ron Wyden and a few others said it's being abused, but couldn't say much else.
How? EFF and ACLU have tried that a few times, and they've been rejected by federal Courts either because "they had no standing" - and they can't get standing because they can't get the proof whether they're being spied upon or not because the government keeps it secret (and has rejected all FOIA requests for it), or because the government appealed state privileges.
They've made it in such a way that it it's almost impossible to do it without someone actually leaking all this stuff out. Even Ron Wyden, who was in the intelligence committee didn't know all the facts, and even if he did, he couldn't even tell it to the rest of the Congress.
Everything about this whole process was air tight, so you can't appeal it in any way, or stop it. I've watched the FISA Amendments Act voting. All the Congress heard about it was that "it's necessary to protect against terrorists, so vote for it". And Ron Wyden and a few others said it's being abused, but couldn't say much else.