Big Brother, 12/20/05

F.B.I. Watched Activist Groups, New Files Show

F.B.I. officials said Monday that their investigators had no interest in monitoring political or social activities and that any investigations that touched on advocacy groups were driven by evidence of criminal or violent activity at public protests and in other settings.

Trust us!

One F.B.I. document indicates that agents in Indianapolis planned to conduct surveillance as part of a "Vegan Community Project."

Fucking Veganofascists! If they didn't do anything wrong, than why are we investigating them, and if we are investigating them, they must have done something wrong. See?

Administration Cites War Vote in Spying Case

Officials with knowledge of the program have said the Justice Department did two sets of classified legal reviews of the program and its legal rationale. Mr. Gonzales declined to release those opinions Monday.

Two of the key Democrats who had been briefed on the program said Monday that they had been told so little that there was no effective Congressional oversight for it.

White House Elaborates on Authority for Eavesdropping

Bush Addresses Uproar Over Spying

Asked what limits he sees on a president's power in a time of war, Bush said a few key congressional leaders were briefed on the domestic spying program and his administration reviews its own actions periodically. "I just described limits on this particular program," he said. "That's what's important for the American people to understand. I am doing what you expect me to do, and at the same time safeguarding the civil liberties of the country."

President, protector, daddy of all of us. No thanks. I'd rather have a serious, competent administrator. Can we get someone dedicated and qualified, please? You know...someone boring.

Legal Test Was Seen as Hurdle to Spying

Since Sept. 11, 2001, an obscure but powerful tribunal — the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court — has been a solid ally of the Bush administration, approving hundreds of requests allowing government agents to monitor the conversations and communications of suspected terrorists.

So why did the administration go around the court in devising its most secret surveillance program?