Meanwhile the FBI launching an actual raid over a stolen diary on James Okeefe of Project Veritas doesn’t get much of a mention.
I personally don’t think that checking journalists for connections is unreasonable. It is not unknown for people who spend a lot of time writing about a group to develop sympathies for them and even to engage in unlawful behavior on their behalf.
If that is the actual reason, then sure. We monitor terrorist sympathizers already. I'm all for that. But history shows that it is usually more sinister motives, and the US’s spying complex doesn’t have the benefit of the doubt in my mind.
Remember Jame Clapper? When asked, under oath, if the NSA monitored American communications, he said no. When it came out that he lied, he went, “Oops. I was using a different definition than what people think of. My bad.” Going back to the origin of the FBI, Hoover is notorious for using it to spy on anyone he disliked, not just actual criminals.
The laws need to have criminal penalties for illegal behavior against Americans. But people would call it unamerican to have penalties in the spying enabling legislation.
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[ 0.26 ms ] story [ 27.3 ms ] threadI personally don’t think that checking journalists for connections is unreasonable. It is not unknown for people who spend a lot of time writing about a group to develop sympathies for them and even to engage in unlawful behavior on their behalf.
Remember Jame Clapper? When asked, under oath, if the NSA monitored American communications, he said no. When it came out that he lied, he went, “Oops. I was using a different definition than what people think of. My bad.” Going back to the origin of the FBI, Hoover is notorious for using it to spy on anyone he disliked, not just actual criminals.