Ryan Singel
Security

House Intelligence Committee to Probe Telcos Involvement in Domestic Spying

A powerful House committee is responding to a call from the nation’s top intelligence official to loosen spying rules and to free the nation’s telecoms from lawsuits accusing them of illegally helping the government spy on Americans by holding a series of hearing in June examining the government’s post 9/11 surveillance programs. Silvestre Reyes, the […]

hearing noticeA powerful House committee is responding to a call from the nation's top intelligence official to loosen spying rules and to free the nation's telecoms from lawsuits accusing them of illegally helping the government spy on Americans by holding a series of hearing in June examining the government's post 9/11 surveillance programs. Silvestre Reyes, the Texas Democrat who leads the House Intelligence Committee, announced the June hearings will include testimony from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the newly minted freedom fighter and former AG John Ashcroft, former Deputy AG James Comey, secret court judges and outside experts.

One of the Director of National Intelligence's proposals is to grant immunity to individuals who and companies that facilitated electronic surveillance activities that were part of the NSA surveillance program disclosed by the President in December 2005. Before granting immunity for any activities, it will be important to review what those activities were, what was the legal basis for those activities, and what would be the impact of a grant of immunity.

Therefore, today I am announcing a series of hearings on the important issue of surveillance practices by the Executive Branch and proposals to alter the laws governing surveillance of Americans.

These hearings will begin in June and will focus on the following important questions:

  • What surveillance activities has the President authorized under the NSA surveillance program disclosed in December 2005?What was the legal basis for these activities, and how did those activities change since the inception of the program? What activities are occurring today?
  • How does the current FISA system operate? Can this system be improved?
  • Are current legal authorities adequate for tracking terrorist communications, or are changes to the law required?
  • Whether current and proposed legal authorities adequately protect the Fourth Amendment rights of Americans.

Reyes says that some of the hearings will need to be held in private. THREAT LEVEL will be following with great interest who Reyes invites to his C-SPAN party.

Raw Story's Michael Roston has more. Full announcement (.pdf) Photo: Daniel Lobo