Domestic Spying

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Domestic Spying

The domestic spying program authorized by the President and conducted by the National Security Agency was first reported by the New York Times on December 16, 2005. The next day, President Bush admitted that secret, domestic wiretapping has been conducted without warrants since late 2001, and that he has issued secret orders in this regard more than 30 times since then. We now know that the Administration has secretly spied on Americans without attempting to comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and that the legal justifications it has offered for doing so have admittedly "evolved" over time and are patently flimsy. Sen. Leahy, therefore, has no hesitation in condemning the President for secretly and systematically violating the law.

What's New
Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senate Consideration Of FISA Legislation February 12, 2008

[Click below to hear highlights of Sen. Leahy's floor statement from Feb. 12.]

Resources from the Congressional Research Service:

Updated:The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: Comparison of House-Passed H.R. 3773, S. 2248 as Reported by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and S. 2248 as Reported Out of the Senate Judiciary Committee
January 22, 2008

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act: A Brief Overview of Selected Issues
February 8, 2008

Presidential Authority to Conduct Warrantless Electronic Surveillance
To Gather Foreign
Intelligence Information

The Congressional Research Service provides members of Congress with non-partisan research and analysis of legislation and issues. It's my goal to make all of these reports available to the tax payer. You can read more about my efforts here. Until then, I've made the below reports available in PDF form to help you research this issue further.

Statements, Letters, and Releases of Sen. Patrick Leahy
Concerning the NSA's Domestic Spying Program

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Statement On Amending The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Executive Business Meeting February 28, 2008

Scare Tactics And Our Surveillance Bill Op-Ed - The Washington Post February 25, 2008

Senate And House Judiciary And Intelligence Committee Chairs Continue To Work On FISA, Administration And Congressional Republicans Refuse To Join February 22, 2008

Senate And House Chairmen Continue Work On FISA Reform February 21, 2008

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senate Consideration Of FISA Legislation February 12, 2008 ***Audio excerpts available***
Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Amendment To Strike Immunity February 11, 2008

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, In Support Of Amendment 3915, To Limit The Use Of Unlawfully Obtained Information February 11, 2008

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee On Amendment 3913 On Reverse Targeting February 11, 2008

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On S. Amdt. 3920, The Whitehouse Amendment On Minimization Compliance Review February 4, 2008

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On S. Amdt. 3930 Offered By Senator Cardin (D-Md.) February 4, 2008

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, On S. Amdt. 3979, the Feingold-Webb-Tester Sequestration Amendment February 4, 2008

Reaction Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senate Consideration Of The FISA Amendments Act Of 2007 January 28, 2008

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Kennedy/Leahy Inspector General Review Amendment (Am. 3862), To The FISA Amendments Act Of 2007, S. 2248 January 24, 2008

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Feingold Amendment (Am. 3909),
To The FISA Amendments Act Of 2007, S. 2248 January 24, 2008

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Judiciary Committee’s Proposed Amendment To The FISA Amendments Act Of 2007, S.2248 January 24, 2008

Senate Begins Debate On FISA Legislation January 24, 2008 ***Audio and video available***

Statement Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Amendment To Strike Immunity From The FISA Amendments Act Of 2007, S.2248 December 18, 2007

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Senate Consideration Of S. 2248, The FISA Amendments Act Of 2007 December 17, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Senate’s Consideration Of Legislation To Amend The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act December 14, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) On The Judiciary Committee’s Action On Legislation To Amend The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act November 15, 2007

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chariman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing On "FISA Amendments: How To Protect America's Security And Privacy And Preserve The Rule Of Law And Government Accountability" October 31, 2007

Leahy And Specter Send Letter To White House Again Requesting Access To Warrantless Surveillance Documents In Advance Of Judiciary Panel’s Consideration Of FISA Bill October 22, 2007

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing On "Strengthening FISA: Does The Protect America Act Protect Americans' Civil Liberties And Enhance
Security?" September 25, 2007 ***Audio and video available.***

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On DOJ Inspector General Glenn Fine's Letter Reporting That His Inquiry Will Examine Attorney General Gonzales' Testimony August 30, 2007

Comment Of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Reports Of The Resignation Of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales August 27, 2007

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Bush Administration's Failure To Comply With Subpoenas For Warrantless Wiretapping Documents August 20, 2007 ***Audio and video available.***

Leahy Asks Justice Department's Inspector General To Investigate Conflicting Testimony By Attorney General August 16, 2007

Leahy Sets New Deadline For Administration Wiretapping Documents
August 8, 2007

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Changes To The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act August 3, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On FISA Fix Proposal August 1, 2007

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing On Oversight Of The Department Of Justice July 24, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Washington Post's Report That White House Will Bar Justice Department From Pursuing Any Contempt Charges Arising From Executive Privilege Claims July 20, 2007

Leahy Grants Administration Request For Extension, Urges White House To Use Time To Gather Information To Turn Over July 17, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Sixth Circuit Court Of Appeals Ruling In ACLU vs. NSA July 6, 2007

Senate Judiciary Committee Issues Subpoenas For Legal Basis Of Bush Administration's Domestic Surveillance Program June 27, 2007

Senate Judiciary Committee Authorizes Chairman Leahy To Issue Subpoenas Related To Administration's Domestic Surveillance Program June 21, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On The Bush Administration's Announcement That It Will Make FISA Court Orders Available January 31, 2007

Comment Of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, On Revisions Of The NSA Domestic Surveillance Program January 17, 2007

Judiciary Panel OK's NSA Bills, Democratic-Backed Bill Only One To Win Bipartisan Support September 13, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee, Executive Business Meeting, Legislation On Domestic Eavesdropping September 7, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee, Hearing On "FISA For The 21st Century" July 26, 2006

Judiciary Democrats Request Committee Hearing On New Proposed Legislation To Amend The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
July 18, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee, Hearing On Department Of Justice Oversight, With Witness Attorney General Alberto Gonzales July 18, 2006

Opening Remarks Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee, Executive Business Meeting May 11, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, "An Examination Of The Call To Censure The President" March 31, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Hearing On "NSA III: War Time Executive Power And The FISA Court" March 28, 2006

News Backgrounder - Rumsfeld Finally Yields Some Answers To Leahy's Questions On Pentagon's Database Entries About Vermonters March 9, 2006

Leahy Questions Rumsfeld About Defense Department Intelligence Gathering Programs March 9, 2006

Leahy Presses Gonzales On Delayed 'Clarifications' To His Testimony On Domestic Spying March 1, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Hearing On "Wartime Executive Power And The NSA's Surveillance Authority II" February 28, 2006

Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, Sends Follow-Up Letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld On Surveillance Of Anti-War Protestors From Vermont February 17, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, The President's Program To Wiretap Americans Without A Warrant And The Cover-Up Of The Full Extent Of Illegality February 15, 2006

Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Hearing On "Wartime Executive Power And The NSA's Surveillance Authority" February 6, 2006
As Domestic Spying Hearing Looms, Leahy Renews Request For Key Democrats On Domestic Spying Policy February 2, 2006
Judiciary Democrats Renew Request For Key Documents On Domestic Spying February 2, 2006
Judiciary Democrats Seek Documents Relating To Bush Administration's Illegal Spying Program January 27, 2006
Leahy On Friday Introduces Resolution Underscoring That Congress Did Not Authorize Illegal Spying On Americans January 20, 2006
Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee, Sends Letter To Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld On Intelligence Gathering By The Department Of Defense December 21, 2005
Reaction Of Sen. Patrick Leahy, Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee, To The President's News Conference Comments About The USA PATRIOT Act December 19, 2005
Letter From Sen. Patrick Leahy Letter To Judge Alito On Checks And Balances On Presidential Power December 19, 2005
Reaction Of Sen. Patrick Leahy To The President's Saturday Radio Address On The USA PATRIOT Act December 17, 2005

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