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Return to Article: Former NSA officer alleges illegal activities under Hayden

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  Everybody is so worried that NSA might be listening to a couple of people talk about their grocery list. If you're not doing anything wrong, why is it an issue? If it stops one terrorist attack, it is worth it. If you really want to be scared, just try finding out what Fair Isaac has on record for you. They could tell what will be on your grocery list before you write it down because they know everything you have ever bought for anything other than cash, and even some of those transactions, and they sell it to the highest bidder on a daily basis. Where does the address list for all that junk mail come from? If you don't know, this is the company that calculates your credit score, and according to USA Today, has (as in already) something like six times the amount of data on the typical U.S. citizen than NSA could (as in the future) ever collect.

  Ted Posted May 19, 2006 9:12 AM
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  In order to understand what is going on here there are several things that need to be understood. In order to tap a telephone, through FISA, you need probable cause based on the agents' sworn testimony and the approval of a judge. If you have an emergency, where you need to tap the telephone immediately, you can tap the telephone and then get a judge to approve it. That is how FISA works. It is the legal mechanism to tap these types of calls. What NSA is suspected of doing is bypassing the judge, because they know that they have no probable cause and no emergency to begin with. They listen to calls based on suspicion which does not satisfy the probable cause element needed to get a judges approval. "Suspicion" is very subjective. "Probable cause" is legally defined as "more likely than not." If anyone thinks that government agents don't lie to achieve what they think the white house wants they are sadly mistaken. That is how many of these government employees rise to the top or get fired in disgrace. Remember ex-CIA boss George Tenet and his medal of freedom? These people make calculated risks for their personal gain. They are motivated by greed and power and are no different than a corrupt politician. Does anyone remember National Security Advisor John Poindexter?

  GovExec.com reader Posted May 18, 2006 5:17 PM
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  Bob,

  Clinton was impeached over an affair, yet Bush supporters continue to defend the absolute corruption and illegal activities conducted by this administration. Your priorities seem a little backwards to me. I wish someone would sleep with Bush so we could impeach him.

  GovExec.com reader Posted May 18, 2006 11:20 AM
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  Bob,

  Sorry to rain on your parade, but General Hayden's work at the NSA involves alleged violations of the U.S. Constitution. Wiretapping without a warrant is a violation of the 4th Amendment. This is the first time I've ever of heard of a sitting President admit to an impeachable offense. If my taxes are paying his salary, and he is in violation of the law, I would like to know about it. This administration is constantly pushing the envelope and violating civil liberties in the name of "The War on Terror," and also seems to be more concerned with catching the people who leak violations of the law than it is with catching Osama bin Laden. If you condone this mischief, shame on you.

  GovExec.com reader Posted May 15, 2006 7:22 PM
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  Where is the proof? I'm tired of hearing all this hyperbole; no one ever offers up the proof, it is always: "When I was there I know that this was occurring." Of course, if your only goal in life is to bring down a sitting president ... everyday in the good ole United States, thousands of organizations are data mining and many of them are mining much deeper that the NSA or CIA, so what is all the fuss? I think we have seen so many movies about clandestine operations being conducted by government agencies, that we believe that is SOP for them. Just like we often see the military senior officers portrayed as belligerent, egomaniacal militants trying to undermine the country; how absurd! No doubt there are recalcitrant people in any organization, but they always find a ways to denigrate the uniformed services. Yet from my experience, these Americans are loyal and dedicated servants for the public good and true patriots. They don't ask: "What's in it for me?"

  Bob Chilton Posted May 15, 2006 2:18 PM
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  When you control all of Congress and the White House, following the law does not matter to this administration. To further understand the issue, try to find the number of oversight hearings in Congress.

  rds Posted May 15, 2006 1:01 PM