DOJ Says FBI Broke Privacy Laws
The Department of Justice Inspector General reported that the FBI repeatedly broke the law between April 2003 and November 2006, when it conducted warrantless domestic telephone surveillance programs against US citizens. Major telecommunication companies were reported to have contracted out employees to the agency to aid the government gaining access to telephone records. The telecom employees gave the FBI access to thousands of reporters' telephone numbers and call records from calling circles.
Both the House and Senate have recently passed bills to continue the surveillance authority provided the US PATRIOT Act.
FBI Broke Privacy Laws, Says Justice Department Probe, Massimo Calabresi, Time Magazine, January 21, 2010
