America is staring down its most dangerous terror threat in history — and Democrats just made the feds&#8217; job a whole lot harder.
<div class="row-start-2 col-start-1 relative grid isolate min-w-0">
<div class="row-start-1 col-start-1 relative z-[2] min-w-0">
<div class="standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown">
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin dropped a jaw-dropper Sunday, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi13krdjRTw">telling</a> Fox News host Shannon Bream that the terrorism threat level is &#8220;the highest it&#8217;s ever been&#8221; — even as Congress let a critical surveillance tool quietly die on the vine last week.
Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which lets the CIA, NSA, and FBI monitor foreign terror suspects overseas without a warrant, lapsed Friday after 19 Republicans and virtually every Democrat voted to kill a temporary extension. The Senate tried its own fixes, which also failed.
The timing couldn&#8217;t be worse.
&#8220;When I say we arrest terrorists every single week, I&#8217;m not exaggerating,&#8221; Mullin told Bream. &#8220;Those aren&#8217;t the individuals that are coming across our border. Those are individuals that are still inside this country.&#8221;
Inside the country — and now, with 702 gone, the feds have to wade through bureaucratic red tape to track them. What used to take hours may now take days.
That&#8217;s while 78 World Cup matches unfold across 11 American cities over 38 days — essentially 78 consecutive Super Bowls, as Mullin noted — alongside the America 250 anniversary celebrations happening nationwide. &#8220;Not all have the resources,&#8221; Mullin warned, noting that local law enforcement is already being asked to carry a heavier load.
So why did Democrats <a href="https://www.ntd.com/terrorism-threat-level-highest-its-ever-been-amid-fisa-lapse-dhs-secretary_1152375.html?utm_source=ntdmorning&amp;src_src=ntddailynoe&amp;utm_campaign=ntd-2026-06-15&amp;src_cmp=ntd-2026-06-15&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;est=3CUiWf%2BCwKZEF20dd7EP2enuMb0208NPJQpcdRbbOFUBQf2A6reG2vd1EYwucRCMokKagzvt">torpedo the extension</a>? One reason was that they didn&#8217;t like who Trump tapped as Acting Director of National Intelligence. Bill Pulte — head of a federal housing agency — was appointed as a placeholder after Tulsi Gabbard stepped down to care for her husband, who has been diagnosed with a rare cancer. Democrats declared Pulte a &#8220;nonstarter&#8221; and let the spy authority expire as their countermove.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said flatly: &#8220;Pulte has to go.&#8221; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) accused Trump of tossing &#8220;a hand grenade&#8221; into the negotiations.
Mullin wasn&#8217;t buying the outrage.
&#8220;When we really want to talk about the Democrats&#8217; credibility on keeping America safe, come on, let&#8217;s laugh,&#8221; he fired back.
&#8220;They had zero credibility. They&#8217;re more interested in protecting criminals and illegals on our streets than law-abiding citizens,&#8221; Mullin added.
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have already warned the administration to brace for &#8220;a potential significant gap in foreign intelligence collection.&#8221; Trump has nominated Jay Clayton — former SEC chairman and current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York — as permanent DNI head, but that confirmation fight is still to come.
Meanwhile, the terrorists that Mullin says the feds are arresting every week aren&#8217;t waiting around for Congress to get its act together.
Highest threat level ever. Biggest public events in a generation. And the Democrats just switched off the surveillance light.
Sleep tight.
</div>
</div>
</div>

President Trump Signs The Secure America Act

Mullin: Terror Threat ‘Highest It’s Ever Been’ As Dems Pull The Plug On Spy Powers

Democrats

FISA

Markwayne Mullin

Terrorism

Trump Administration

Throughout April, Congress <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2026/04/17/congress-passes-short-term-spy-powers-extension-as-conservatives-fight-for-surveillance-reform/">faced</a> a deadline everyone knew was coming. Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), a spy tool that enables our intelligence agencies to collect information on non-U.S. persons, was set to expire. Despite years of documented abuses and a growing bipartisan demand for reform, talks stalled, and Congress initially opted for a 10-day extension to work out their differences. After once again reaching an impasse, despite the grumblings of the deep staters, a last-minute agreement for another short-term reauthorization was reached for another 45-day extension, and life in America will go on.
The House <a href="https://x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/2049794823859630164?s=20">passed</a> a measure to reauthorize Section 702 of FISA for three years without meaningful changes. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune <a href="https://x.com/jordainc/status/2049237669788418138?s=20">indicated</a> this measure was “dead on arrival” in the Senate because of an attached ban on central bank digital currency. His preference is for a <a href="https://x.com/LauraEWeiss16/status/2049861057527570894?s=20">45-day</a> clean extension, and a <a href="https://x.com/jordainc/status/2049872261440553416?s=20">three-week extension</a> by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) failed on unanimous consent due to an objection from Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) to an added provision to declassify a recent FISC ruling.
While the intelligence community might argue that this uncertainty threatens national security, the reality is that the precarious position they find themselves in was entirely avoidable. Rather than taking the bipartisan calls for reform seriously, they played chicken and got burned.
This fight has offered a rare, final chance for redemption, a chance to finally secure common-sense reforms that organizations across the political spectrum have spent years fighting for.
Why FISA Isn’t Serving Our National Interest
Section 702 is one of the most powerful surveillance authorities the federal government possesses, empowering it to collect the communications of non-U.S. persons located abroad. In the process, it also incidentally collects billions of Americans&#8217; communications, and it has become a backdoor for warrantless surveillance of Americans. The FBI has routinely queried this massive database on Americans, all without ever seeking a warrant. When the public learned that the program was abused for everything from vetting romantic matches to spying on protesters and sitting members of Congress, the intelligence agencies shouldn’t be surprised that “trust us” isn’t a viable policy anymore.
For years, <a href="https://youtu.be/SmoggfXJqJ4?si=OUXsD9mvft3CFfkC">critics</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/17/opinion/section-702-surveillance-safe-act.html">politicians</a> across the political spectrum have raised serious <a href="https://www.aclu.org/documents/coalition-letter-urging-reforms-section-702-fisa">concerns</a> over the misuse of Section 702. Rampant, repeated violations and a lack of meaningful accountability have eroded trust in a key institution charged with keeping the country safe. Considering the stakes and value of the program, a significant portion of the president’s daily briefing contains information collected via 702; the fact that Congress and the intelligence community allowed this to come down to the wire reflects a sense of complacency.
The 10-day extension didn’t have to happen, and it’s disappointing that another short-term reauthorization of 45 days was needed. Lawmakers had ample time to debate potential reforms, negotiate compromises, and pass something to keep the program’s lights on. Hopefully, this latest extension provides the necessary space to move beyond the false choice between subjecting Americans to total surveillance or total blindness for our intelligence agencies.
Priorities For Reform
First and foremost, Congress needs to close the backdoor search loophole. If the intelligence community would like to search an American’s communications, get a warrant. In many reform camp legislative proposals, there is a litany of carve-outs to allow for defensive queries, identify victims, and exempt metadata from the warrant requirement, all to ensure that, in exigent circumstances, these agencies can operate with the needed flexibility.
Second, the government shouldn’t be able to buy its way out of Fourth Amendment scrutiny by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/19/fbi-buying-location-data-use">purchasing information</a> on Americans from data brokers. Ending the data broker loophole is critical. Otherwise, we are effectively turning every consumer’s smartphone into a tracking device for the state.
Third, we must fix the definition of an electronic communications service provider. During the last FISA reauthorization fight, this definition was expanded so broadly that it could potentially deputize a wide range of businesses and organizations into the national security apparatus for simply providing access to communication infrastructure. This approach, where “everyone is a spy,” is a massive overreach that needs to be reined in.
There is also a broader economic consideration. As the administration seeks to export the American AI tech stack globally, our domestic surveillance practices matter. If we fail to incorporate serious reforms, we undermine the faith other nations place in American technology. We will hinder our ability to win the AI race if our tech stack is viewed as a Trojan horse for our intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance.
This isn’t about blinding agencies to legitimate threats. National security and civil liberties are not mutually exclusive. In fact, when the government violates Americans’ rights by ignoring the Constitution, it erodes the social contract that empowers it to operate effectively. That erosion is its own fundamental threat to national security. The administration, the intel community, and Congress have been given a second chance to stop kicking the can down the road and move toward reform.
We need a Section 702 reauthorization that respects the law as much as it protects the country. There is more than enough time to do the right thing.
***
James Czerniawski is the head of Emerging Technology Policy at the Consumer Choice Center. His work has been featured in The New York Post, Newsmax, Newsweek, and more. He has testified to Congress on government surveillance issues. You can follow him on X @<a href="https://x.com/JamesCz19">JamesCz19</a>.

Digital code and Washington DC, USA

Protecting America Without The Surveillance State Starts With Fixing FISA

Congress

DW Opinion

From the beginning of my time in Washington — even before many revelations of government abuses under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) were disclosed — I have consistently warned of vast government surveillance powers being used against Americans, without a warrant, and outside the protections of the Constitution.
Section 702 of FISA is intended for use against hostile foreign countries and terrorists, to protect the American people from threats overseas, which I support. But to use that authority to spy on innocent Americans — to rummage through their texts, calls, and emails here in the United States without a warrant merely because intelligence agencies incidentally sweep them up?
This is often referred to as a backdoor search, and the practice is blatantly unconstitutional and incompatible with the Fourth Amendment.
I introduced the Fourth Amendment Restoration and Protection Act for this exact reason. This legislation will end secret warrantless backdoor searches and finally bring FISA in line with our Constitution. As Congress is poised to consider another extension to FISA, I will once again demand these urgent reforms.
In the midst of this debate over FISA, it’s important to recall that Washington, D.C. has repeatedly dismissed my warnings about FISA. It isn’t happening, I was told. There were unconcerned assurances from the then-Obama administration and from within Congress that the secret oversight of our intelligence agencies was working; that there was no mass surveillance of Americans; and that to even consider changing the status quo would somehow jeopardize national security.
We now know that none of these assurances were true — that there was mass surveillance that included Americans, and there was, in fact, bulk collection of Americans’ communications. We learned how brazenly the government thwarts the Constitution through loopholes and legal maneuvering, made possible by courts that rely on interpretations of law that predate the digital revolution of our modern world.
There have been improper searches of innocent Americans. In fact, the government doesn’t even need to collect Americans’ information to search it; it can simply buy it from data brokers. The practice of selling customer data to the government should be illegal, and there are restrictions in existing law, but once again, the legal architecture is too old and doesn’t properly reflect the digital nature of records-keeping.
This is why a warrant requirement is so important.
The American people now see that the constitutional wall of protection around their rights has a wide-open gate. It’s why about two-thirds of Americans now support a warrant requirement for information collected under FISA, while only <a href="https://www.tavernresearch.com/research-and-writings/fisa-702-warrant-requirement-polling">16 percent</a> oppose it. The momentum is towards reform, which is why many congressional opponents of reform, including the leadership of both political parties, have collaborated with the surveillance state in an attempt to co-opt the FISA reform momentum.
Instead of adopting strong protections like a warrant requirement, they push for illusory, pretend reforms. For example, the 2024 FISA extension bill ignored popular reform proposals introduced in Congress — including a warrant requirement — and instead included a collection of “reforms” that either codified already-existing practices or actually weakened protections, according to an <a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/risaa-56-reforms-preserve-status-quo">assessment</a> published by the Brennan Center.
After pushing empty reforms in 2024, the same figures are now calling for a “clean” extension of FISA. In Washington-speak, a “clean” extension means no reform. Congress must stand firm against such a plan.
At one time, these figures told reformers like me that they needed a clean extension of FISA because abuses weren’t happening. We’ve come so far that they now concede that it’s happening, but that it’s good. At least they’re being more honest now.
Congress cannot pass the buck again. The solution is to restore the constitutional standard: if the government wants to search an American’s private data, it must get a warrant based on probable cause. It’s what the American people want. It’s what the Constitution demands.
***
U.S. Senator Rand Paul, M.D., (R-KY) is one of the nation’s leading advocates for liberty. Senator Paul serves as the chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. He has represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate since 2011. He and his wife, Kelley, live in Bowling Green and are the parents of three sons.

Rand Paul: End Unconstitutional Mass Surveillance And Protect Innocent Americans

With an April 30 deadline now looming, Capitol Hill is locked in a high-stakes standoff over the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). What began in 2008 as a tool to close intelligence gaps has transformed into a digital-age lightning rod, pitting the urgent demands of national security against a growing, bipartisan demand for Fourth Amendment privacy.
On Friday, the House and Senate <a href="https://www.nextgov.com/policy/2026/04/house-passes-10-day-fisa-extension-after-prospects-long-term-deal-collapse/412933/">passed</a> a 10-day extension of the program via unanimous consent after broader reauthorization efforts collapsed amid GOP divisions. This temporary measure, which moves the expiration date from April 20 to April 30, grants lawmakers a narrow window to negotiate as the Trump administration continues its push for a renewal without a warrant requirement.
At the heart of the &#8220;warrant debate&#8221; is whether the FBI should be required to get a judge&#8217;s permission before searching a database of intercepted foreign communications for information belonging to Americans. The Trump administration initially sought a &#8220;clean&#8221; 18-month extension of the law, which would exclude warrant reforms entirely. This bid, along with a separate five-year proposal that included FBI limits but no warrant requirement, unraveled in the House due to opposition from Democrats and GOP hardliners.
The intelligence community&#8217;s defense relies on several pillars:
<ul data-path-to-node="4">
<li>
Proven Results: In 2023, Section 702 provided 97% of the FBI’s raw technical reporting on cyber threats and assisted in military operations.
</li>
<li>
Operational Speed: Gen. Josh Rudd (NSA/Cyber Command) and the White House argue a warrant requirement acts as a &#8220;de facto ban,&#8221; slowing investigations into fast-moving threats from actors like Iran.
</li>
<li>
Compliance: Officials point to a 90% drop in U.S. person queries between 2021 and 2022, with a FISA Court-calculated compliance rate of over 98%.
</li>
</ul>
Conversely, a coalition of &#8220;privacy hawks&#8221; argues the system allows for &#8220;backdoor&#8221; searches. This debate has taken on a civil rights dimension, particularly regarding ethnic profiling. Statistics from the FBI’s 2023 transparency report indicate that while queries have dropped, &#8220;U.S. person&#8221; queries still numbered 119,383 in 2022. Additionally, AAPI organizations have highlighted that the lack of safeguards disproportionately affects minority communities; for instance, historical data has shown that Asian Americans are roughly twice as likely to be charged under the Economic Espionage Act than those of other backgrounds, fueling fears that FISA tools could amplify such disparities.
The current fight is more complex than the 2024 renewal. Three major &#8220;wildcards&#8221; are shaping the April 30 deadline:
<ol style="font-weight: 400;">
<li data-path-to-node="13,0,0">The Data Broker Loophole: Lawmakers are pushing the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act, which would stop agencies from simply buying sensitive data — like location history — from private brokers to bypass the warrant process.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="13,1,0">Transatlantic Trade: The European Union has repeatedly threatened to curtail data flows, citing Section 702 as a violation of EU privacy standards. The $1.3 billion fine levied against Meta in 2023 highlighted how U.S. surveillance laws could directly <a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/reforming-section-702-foreign-intelligence-surveillance-act-digital-landscape#:~:text=These%20privacy%20standards%20are%20lower,immediate%20threats%20of%20mass%20violence">threaten</a> $1.3 trillion in annual bilateral trade.</li>
<li data-path-to-node="13,2,0">The &#8220;Spy&#8221; Provision: Critics are still fighting to repeal a 2024 expansion that widened the definition of &#8220;electronic communication service providers,&#8221; which some fear could force a broader range of U.S. businesses to assist in state surveillance.</li>
</ol>
The Trump administration has already notified Congress that the FISA Court renewed program certifications for another year, but without Congressional authorization, tech companies may still challenge their obligation to comply. As the clock ticks toward April 30, Republican leaders must now decide whether to revise legislation to satisfy the House Freedom Caucus or lean on holdouts to align with the White House’s wishes.

Cyber intelligence team of experts in a governmental hacking room

A Quiet Deadline Could Leave America Blind To Terror And Cyber Threats

Cybersecurity

U.S.

A law that became the subject of scrutiny following surveillance on 2016 Trump campaign aide Carter Page is up for renewal with an April 20 deadline, and the debate is creating unusual battle lines.
The debate centers on whether reforms should be made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702, or if there should be a “clean” extension of the law. FISA allows for the federal government to gather foreign intelligence, but some critics have warned that it opens the door for Americans to be spied on in the process.
President Donald Trump is asking for a “clean 18-month” extension of the law, saying that it is an “effective tool to keep Americans safe” when “used properly.” He noted that “whether you like FISA or not, it is extremely important to our Military,” noting it could be useful during the ongoing military operation in Iran.
“HOWEVER, the Critical and Common Sense Reforms that were made in the last Reauthorization of FISA must remain intact to protect the American People from abuses,” Trump posted to <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2036848808705814789" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> on March 25.
The president said he “was a victim of the worst and most illegal abuse of FISA in our Nation’s History, by Radical Left Lunatics who lied to the FISA Court to spy on my 2016 Presidential Campaign in their attempt to RIG the Election in favor of Crooked Hillary Clinton.”
In 2024 when President Joe Biden was in office, Trump asked Congress to “KILL FISA” in a <a href="https://reason.com/2026/03/27/trump-backs-section-702-reauthorization-after-once-calling-to-kill-fisa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social</a> post, saying “IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS.” The FBI ended up issuing an apology in 2020 for how it pursued FISA warrants against Page over alleged Russian connections, as he was never prosecuted.
The House has been in recess, but returns to work this week, when Speaker Mike Johnson plans to raise the renewal.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has said that she wants the SAVE America Act, an election security bill, to be tacked onto the FISA vote, which was a point of contention between her and Johnson, according to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/27/mike-johnson-house-intelligence-fisa-extension-luna-fight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a>. Even though the SAVE America Act has passed the House, it has struggled to gain the momentum necessary to pass in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has declared “warrants or bust” in order to get her vote on the legislation, as she wants more barriers in place to review American communications gathered under FISA, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/18/house-section-702-vote-00835291?nid=00000197-a74d-da70-a9ff-a75da4350000&amp;nname=inside-congress&amp;nrid=0000015a-ce98-daa2-a1fa-fefa0dc30000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
Some congressional Democrats have joined in on the calls for reforms, but their concerns relate to weaponization by the Trump administration.
“Any attempt to push forward a ‘clean’ reauthorization of Section 702 will put our private, sensitive data at risk,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said in a March 19 <a href="https://jayapal.house.gov/2026/03/19/jayapal-statement-on-upcoming-fisa-reauthorization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
“This Trump administration has been particularly brazen in its use of domestic surveillance to suppress our Constitutional rights and dissent,” she added.
However, some Democrats, like Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), have faced left-wing backlash for their decision to support a FISA renewal.
“It is our most important intelligence collection tool … every day it stops terrorist attacks somewhere in the world,” Himes said, according to <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2026-03-31/protesters-call-on-rep-jim-himes-to-withdraw-support-for-a-federal-surveillance-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Connecticut Public Radio</a> on March 31.
Matthew R.A. Heiman, Chairman of the Cyber &amp; Privacy Working Group of the Regulatory Transparency Project, told The Daily Wire that “to the extent that [FISA] picks up Americans communications, it’s incidental.&#8221;
“Members of both sides, multiple boards and committees, have looked at this tool now for almost 20 years that it has been used, and they consistently find that the tool is really effective in terms of delivering important intelligence, and the misuses of the tool have been largely accidental,” Heiman said.
“And so it&#8217;s not a tool that&#8217;s been heavily abused, or there&#8217;s been malicious intent when there&#8217;s a mistake made,” he said.
“I think the Americans should support renewal of this tool, because it&#8217;s really important for all of our safety,” he continued.

Carter Page

Republicans Set For Major Showdown On Law That Haunted Trump’s First Admin

Anna Paulina Luna

Lauren Boebert

Republicans

The Senate passed a two-year extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows federal agents to obtain the online communications of foreign nationals without a warrant, late Friday night in a 60-34 vote. 
The debate on the renewal of Section 702 pitted those who said it was essential to national security against those who were worried about the potential for Americans to be surveilled. Senators who <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00148.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> in favor included 30 Republicans, 28 Democrats, and two independents, while 16 Republicans, 17 Democrats, and 1 independent voted against. 
The measure was supported by both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
&#8220;The stakes of such an outcome are grave,&#8221; McConnell <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-fisa-surveillance-renewal-avoiding-lapse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;The authorities in question today have, quite literally, been the only defense against would-be national security disasters.”
Schumer said passage was necessary for American national security. “It wasn’t easy, people had many different views, but we all know one thing: letting FISA expire would have been dangerous. It’s an important part of our national security to stop acts of terror, drug trafficking, and violent extremism,” he <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-renews-fisa-section-702-spying-privacy-rcna148394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
On the other side, lawmakers like Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) argued that there should be a warrant requirement if the communications of Americans are caught up in the surveillance of a foreign national. 
Previous reports have indicated that the FBI has inappropriately used FISA <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-misused-surveillance-tool-over-278000-times-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 278,000 times</a> to collect information about American citizens, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-inappropriately-used-spy-powers-on-u-s-senator-court-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said that</a> the FBI searched for information on an unidentified U.S. senator using Section 702 powers. 
“Yet again the Senate was asked to consider the question: can liberty be exchanged for security? And sadly the majority of Senators said yes it can,” Paul <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1781536215793025043" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> after his amendments failed. “Final FISA reauthorization passed once again.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1713635892817000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3lXMk_jhNQC8Fngje8e8XV">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said there were not enough protections in place for American citizens. 
“The Department of Justice’s abuses of FISA to spy on American citizens and their communications are unacceptable and contrary to the intent of the protections enshrined in our Fourth Amendment,” he <a href="https://www.cramer.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-cramer-votes-against-fisa-reauthorization-legislation-after-fourth-amendment-protections-rejected#:~:text=U.S.%20Senator%20Kevin%20Cramer%20(R,obtain%20a%20warrant%20from%20the" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “The prohibition on unreasonable search and seizure can’t be taken for granted.”
Earlier this week, the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-overcomes-final-hurdle-to-send-fisa-reauthorization-bill-to-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> its reauthorization of FISA after a similar warrant amendment stalled 212-212. Lawmakers eventually voted 259 to 128 to advance the legislation. 
President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation as his administration has pushed lawmakers to renew Section 702.

Capitol Hill Prepares Ahead Of Full House Vote On Impeachment Articles This Week

Senate Sends FISA Reauthorization Bill To Biden’s Desk After Late Night Vote

Chuck Schumer

Civil Rights

Joe Biden

Mitch McConnell

National Security

Rand Paul

Senate

The GOP-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> overcame one last remaining hurdle on Monday to approve a bill that would reauthorize Section 702 of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fisa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)</a>, a spy tool that proponents say is critical to protecting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/national-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national security</a>, and send it to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> before the foreign data collection authorities sunset at the end of this week.
Lawmakers voted <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseDailyPress/status/1780009090309116337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">259-128</a> to table a motion to reconsider the legislation that was introduced right after the chamber passed it on Friday. The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fisa-warrant-requirement-gets-last-ditch-revival-push" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last-ditch effort</a> to stave off the bill was spearheaded by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who urged colleagues to join in her in demanding a warrant requirement to address concerns about FISA abuse and privacy.
Luna sent a letter to Republicans and Democrats, rallying support for her cause. She made a specific appeal to the 56 members who voted to pass the FISA bill after supporting the amendment from Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) that would <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-major-legislation-end-warrantless-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">place limits on</a> officials being able to do U.S. person searches in the information that gets swept up in foreign surveillance without a warrant.
The amendment proved to be a contentious proposition that spilled across party lines. It narrowly failed to pass in a <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">212-212 tie vote</a> on Friday with support from hardline Republicans and leftist Democrats. Luna wanted it to get a second chance. Lawmakers &#8220;must fight to get the Biggs Amendment adopted in the final passage of this legislation,&#8221; Luna said in her letter.
House Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH), who was the lawmaker who led the push to defeat Luna&#8217;s motion to reconsider the bill, has been a vocal advocate for reauthorizing Section 702 without the warrant requirement. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnLwv_zuTA4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox News on Sunday that Section 702 &#8220;must continue&#8221; while insisting that American lives were at stake.
The House <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024119" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> 273-147 on Friday, after the amendment failed, to extend authorities the U.S. government uses to <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/icotr/Section702-Basics-Infographic.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gather electronic communications information</a> on non-U.S. citizens abroad and deter threats to the homeland. The legislation, which got bipartisan support, would renew Section 702 for another two years and implement reforms to FISA.
Now, with the matter of Luna&#8217;s objection settled, the bill heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1776255027432095818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> lawmakers &#8220;must act quickly on a bipartisan basis to ensure these vital national security authorities do not lapse.&#8221; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell/status/1779990079479636093" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressed</a> for FISA authorities to be maintained.
They have until April 19 to extend Section 702 before it expires. A couple members of the upper chamber, including Sens. <a href="https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee/status/1778807093870403608" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Lee (R-UT)</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/1779535984457077073" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rand Paul (R-KY)</a>, spoke out in favor of passing the warrant amendment to protect the Fourth Amendment.
The White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SAP-H.R.-7888-FISA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supports</a> reauthorization but rejected the warrant requirement, saying in a statement that the amendment from Biggs would &#8220;prohibit U.S. officials from reviewing critical information that the Intelligence Community has already lawfully collected, with exceptions that are exceedingly narrow and unworkable in practice.&#8221;
Initially, the FISA bill offered a five-year extension to Section 702, but it got whittled down to two years after it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-blocks-fisa-spy-bill-opponents-demand-warrant-requirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed</a> to advance earlier last week. The shortened window will allow President Joe Biden or whatever administration may succeed him next year the chance to seek a FISA shakeup.
Former President Donald Trump, who is running for another White House tern, had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-kill-fisa-as-lawmakers-consider-surveillance-reauthorization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> lawmakers to &#8220;KILL FISA&#8221; and said it was used to spy on his campaign. He was alluding to the FBI&#8217;s controversial efforts to get warrants to snoop on a 2016 campaign aide under a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4463961-house-unveils-warrantless-surveillance-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different part of FISA, Section 701</a>, using an unverified dossier.
Johnson <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1778076099651444805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> the FISA bill, called the Reforming Intelligence And Securing America Act, implements reforms that would “actually kill the abuses” directed at Trump’s 2016 campaign. The speaker met with Trump on Friday. During a joint press conference, Trump said he&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/TPostMillennial/status/1778900252684378474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;not a big fan of FISA,&#8221;</a> but added he told &#8220;everybody&#8221; to do what they want with it.

House Intel Chair Mike Turner

House Overcomes Final Hurdle To Send FISA Reauthorization Bill To Senate

Mike Turner

Surveillance

U.S. House of Representatives

The GOP lawmaker who objected to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-votes-to-pass-fisa-reauthorization-but-theres-a-catch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">final passage</a> of a bill that would reauthorize Section 702 of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fisa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)</a> is urging colleagues to join her in an eleventh-hour push to stop it unless one major change is made.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) sent out a letter to Republicans and Democrats this weekend urging them to oppose the reauthorization legislation, at least until a warrant requirement is added to address concerns about FISA abuse and privacy.
&#8220;The fight for taking down the unconstitutional FISA is not over,&#8221; Luna <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLuna/status/1779237542233071622" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The fight for taking down the unconstitutional FISA is not over. There is another vote on Monday! I have sent this letter to all Republicans, and we are sending it to all Democrats. We need 218 to stand with us against the unconstitutional surveillance of Americans. <a href="https://t.co/TKe59Rvf8d">pic.twitter.com/TKe59Rvf8d</a>
&mdash; Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLuna/status/1779237542233071622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;There is another vote on Monday! I have sent this letter to all Republicans, and we are sending it to all Democrats,&#8221; Luna added. &#8220;We need 218 to stand with us against the unconstitutional surveillance of Americans.&#8221;
Luna&#8217;s letter touted an amendment from Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) that would add a <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-major-legislation-end-warrantless-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warrant requirement</a> for government officials wanting to do U.S. person searches in the information that gets swept up in foreign surveillance.
The amendment has already proven to be a contentious proposition that spilled across party lines, with opponents arguing that it could <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseIntel/status/1778831812069851607" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jeopardize national security</a>. It narrowly failed to pass in a <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">212-212 tie vote</a>.
&#8220;The majority of Republicans voted for my warrant requirement amendment,&#8221; Biggs <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1778853835059905008" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X. &#8220;86 voted with the Deep State. We need Republicans in Congress who believe that you shouldn&#8217;t be surveilled by your federal government.&#8221;
While the Biden administration supports the reauthorization bill, which would extend Section 702 for two years and implement some FISA reforms, it has pushed back against the warrant requirement idea.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
The amendment would &#8220;prohibit U.S. officials from reviewing critical information that the Intelligence Community has already lawfully collected, with exceptions that are exceedingly narrow and unworkable in practice,&#8221; the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SAP-H.R.-7888-FISA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in a statement.</a>
Congress and Biden have until April 19 to extend Section 702 before it sunsets.
Luna made a specific appeal to the 56 members who voted to pass the FISA bill after supporting the amendment from Biggs. She asked them to oppose Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner&#8217;s (R-OH) motion to table her motion to reconsider the bill.
Lawmakers &#8220;must fight to get the Biggs Amendment adopted in the final passage of this legislation,&#8221; Luna said.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL)

FISA Warrant Requirement Gets Last-Ditch Revival Push

Politics

The GOP-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> voted on Friday to pass a bill that would reauthorize Section 702 of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fisa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)</a> ahead of its expiration deadline next week, but the legislation has one final hurdle to pass before going to the Senate.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), one of the members demanding a warrant requirement, objected to the final passage and <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1778833539653423594" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sought a vote</a> on a motion to reconsider. Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) moved to table it, but a recorded vote was postponed.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), after the House passed the FISA Section 702 reauthorization bill 273-147, objected to its passage and requested a recorded vote on the motion to reconsider. <a href="https://t.co/PXqJOUGuiF">pic.twitter.com/PXqJOUGuiF</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1778840534141772251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The remaining vote is expected to take place next week. Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1778832997417955369" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that &#8220;GOP leadership believes the same coalition that passed FISA will vote to table and the bill will go to the Senate.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
OK so here&#39;s the deal.
The House will have to vote to table a motion to reconsider the FISA vote next week. 
The GOP leadership believes the same coalition that passed FISA will vote to table and the bill will go to the Senate.
&mdash; Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1778832997417955369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lawmakers <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024119" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> 273-147 in favor of extending authorities the U.S. government uses to collect data on non-U.S. citizens abroad and deter threats to the homeland. The legislation, which got bipartisan support, would renew Section 702 for another two years and implement reforms to FISA.
Amendment votes took place earlier in the day, including one for a highly-contentious offering that would add a <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-major-legislation-end-warrantless-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warrant requirement</a> for officials wanting to do U.S. person searches in the information that gets swept up in foreign surveillance under Section 702.
That amendment, offered by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), got support from hardline conservatives and leftist members concerned about privacy, yet it failed to pass due to a <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">212-212 tie vote</a>.
&#8220;NO WARRANT, NO FISA,&#8221; Luna <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLuna/status/1778820846221500899" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X.
The White House joined with some high-ranking Republicans in opposing the warrant requirement over the view that it would jeopardize national security. Turner <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeTurner/status/1778816761338433989" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> it would &#8220;give constitutional rights to Hezbollah and other foreign adversaries.&#8221;
Initially, the FISA bill offered a five-year extension to Section 702, but it got whittled down to two years after it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-blocks-fisa-spy-bill-opponents-demand-warrant-requirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed</a> to advance earlier this week. The shortened window will allow President Joe Biden or whatever administration may succeed him next year the chance to seek a FISA shakeup.
Former President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-kill-fisa-as-lawmakers-consider-surveillance-reauthorization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> lawmakers to &#8220;KILL FISA&#8221; and said it was used to spy on his campaign. He was alluding to the FBI&#8217;s controversial efforts to get warrants to snoop on a 2016 campaign aide under a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4463961-house-unveils-warrantless-surveillance-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different part of FISA, Section 701</a>, using an unverified dossier.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1778076099651444805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> the FISA bill, called the Reforming Intelligence And Securing America Act, implements reforms that would “actually kill the abuses” directed at Trump’s 2016 campaign. Johnson is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/12/donald-trump-mike-johnson-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected</a> to meet with Trump later in the day on Friday.
If the FISA legislation makes it out of the House, it will head to the Democrat-controlled Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1776255027432095818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> lawmakers &#8220;must act quickly on a bipartisan basis to ensure these vital national security authorities do not lapse.&#8221;
The White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SAP-H.R.-7888-FISA.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came out in support</a> of reauthorization but rejected the warrant requirement, saying in a <a href="https://twitter.com/jordainc/status/1778785434430038308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo</a> that the amendment from Biggs would &#8220;eviscerate the value of Section 702.&#8221; Lawmakers and Biden have until April 19 to extend Section 702 before it sunsets.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna

House Votes To Pass FISA Reauthorization. But There’s A Catch.

House Votes To Pass FISA Reauthorization. But There's A Catch.

Mike Johnson

The GOP-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> is positioned to have another go at reauthorizing Section 702 of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fisa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)</a>, a spy tool set to sunset next week that proponents say is crucial to protecting national security.
A <a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20240408/RCP_7888_xml.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revised</a> bill, which shrinks the extension window from five to two years and implements some reforms, passed through the Rules Committee on Thursday evening. Votes on the floor are <a href="https://twitter.com/jordainc/status/1778576065503363346" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expected</a> to begin in the morning on Friday.
The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4589456-house-panel-tees-up-vote-on-revised-fisa-reauthorization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> there is room to consider an amendment that would add a warrant requirement for Section 702, which could alleviate privacy concerns, and a bill requiring a warrant for purchasing information on U.S. citizens from data brokers.
Nineteen Republicans joined with Democrats to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-blocks-fisa-spy-bill-opponents-demand-warrant-requirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oppose moving forward</a> on Wednesday with the five-year extension of the provision that the <a href="https://www.dni.gov/files/icotr/Section702-Basics-Infographic.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">government says</a> is used to monitor non-U.S. citizens abroad and deter threats from terrorists and others.
Some members who voted against advancing the FISA bill are insistent on a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4584117-fisa-spy-powers-rules-warrant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warrant requirement</a> for officials seeking to <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-major-legislation-end-warrantless-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">access data concerning U.S. citizens</a> — ostensibly for law enforcement — that gets swept up in monitoring foreign persons.
A reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/aishahhasnie/status/1778532349531259097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that multiple lawmakers told Fox News that limiting the extension window to two years was a compromise that would allow former President Donald Trump to push for more changes if he wins another White House term.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-kill-fisa-as-lawmakers-consider-surveillance-reauthorization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> lawmakers to &#8220;KILL FISA&#8221; while saying it was used to spy on his campaign, alluding to the FBI&#8217;s controversial efforts to get warrants to snoop on a 2016 campaign aide under a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4463961-house-unveils-warrantless-surveillance-bill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different part of FISA, Section 701</a>, using an unverified dossier.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1778076099651444805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> the FISA legislation, called the Reforming Intelligence And Securing America Act, implements reforms that would “actually kill the abuses” directed at Trump’s 2016 campaign.
If the FISA legislation passes through the House, it will head to the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1776255027432095818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> lawmakers &#8220;must act quickly on a bipartisan basis to ensure these vital national security authorities do not lapse.&#8221;
The deadline is April 19.
The Office of Management and Budget <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1778567490986992019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released</a> a statement on Thursday evening that said the Biden administration &#8220;strongly supports&#8221; the bill to reauthorize Section 702, citing its uses to protect the homeland from a variety of threats.
But the statement also said the administration rejects the amendment offered by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) that would implement a warrant requirement for Section 702.
&#8220;The amendment would prohibit U.S. officials from reviewing critical information that the Intelligence Community has already lawfully collected, with exceptions that are exceedingly narrow and unworkable in practice,&#8221; it said.
&#8220;Our intelligence, defense, and public safety communities are united: the extensive harms of this proposal simply cannot be mitigated. Therefore, the Administration strongly opposes the amendment,&#8221; the statement added.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

House Poised To Take Another Crack At FISA Reauthorization

Donald Trump

Ex-FBI Deputy Director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/andrew-mccabe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew McCabe</a> said on Thursday the bureau made &#8220;many mistakes&#8221; in seeking <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fisa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)</a> authority to snoop on Carter Page, an aide to former President Donald Trump&#8217;s 2016 campaign.
The comments were made during a CNN interview in which McCabe defended FISA&#8217;s Section 702 — which empowers the U.S. intelligence community to collect data on non-U.S. citizens abroad — as Congress debates whether to reauthorize it.
McCabe, now a CNN law enforcement analyst, responded to Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-kill-fisa-as-lawmakers-consider-surveillance-reauthorization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call</a> to &#8220;KILL FISA&#8221; while saying it was used to spy on his campaign, after which the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-blocks-fisa-spy-bill-opponents-demand-warrant-requirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blocked</a> consideration of a reauthorization bill just days before Section 702 sunsets.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Disgraced former FBI agent Andy McCabe: &quot;[FISA] 702 authorities were never used in the — in the course of that investigation of Donald Trump &amp; his campaign &amp; some of his campaign associates. He — he may be referring to the FISA that was used — that was obtained to surveil Carter… <a href="https://t.co/qI2t6hgrzG">pic.twitter.com/qI2t6hgrzG</a>
&mdash; Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1778445079566254433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;To be clear, no, there is no truth or accuracy in that post at all,&#8221; McCabe said, adding that &#8220;702 authorities were never used in the course of that investigation of Donald Trump and his campaign and some of his campaign associates.&#8221;
Trump &#8220;may be referring to the FISA that was obtained to surveil Carter Page. We now know there are many mistakes in that FISA. Those are all regrettable. But that is not Section 702. Totally different thing here,&#8221; McCabe said.
&#8220;My guess &#8230; is that it&#8217;s not surprising that Donald Trump is against surveillance capacity and authority for the FBI because he is someone who&#8217;s been investigated by the FBI. But, nevertheless, he is absolutely wrong on this count,&#8221; he added.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1700760801843000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2PQrVSrJfhxNb4LcARqniG">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
McCabe signed an application seeking FISA authority to spy on Page, part of a <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/1442002/doj-inspector-general-finds-17-significant-errors-or-omissions-in-carter-page-fisa-applications/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chain of approval</a> that came under fire over its partial reliance on an unverified dossier, and <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2185157/andrew-mccabe-shocked-and-disappointed-by-problems-found-in-carter-page-fisa-warrant-he-approved/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testified</a> to Congress he would not have done so knowing what he learned later.
The Trump Department of Justice <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/03/16/571671917/justice-department-fires-embattled-fbi-deputy-director-just-short-of-retirement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired</a> McCabe from the FBI in 2018 — hours before he was set to retire with a pension — after an inspector general report faulting him for a <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mccabe-show-lack-candor-comey-doj-inspector-general/story?id=54450687" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;lack of candor&#8221;</a> regarding disclosures to the media.
McCabe sued over his firing in 2019, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/us/politics/mccabe-trump-fbi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claiming</a> his dismissal was &#8220;politically motivated and retaliatory&#8221; following his leadership in the Trump-Russia investigation, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/08/us/politics/mccabe-trump-fbi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won back</a> his pension and other benefits in a 2021 settlement.
Some lawmakers who opposed advancing the FISA bill this week have demanded a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4584117-fisa-spy-powers-rules-warrant/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warrant requirement</a> for officials seeking to <a href="https://biggs.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-biggs-introduces-major-legislation-end-warrantless-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">access data concerning U.S. citizens</a> — ostensibly for law enforcement — that gets swept up in monitoring foreign persons.
FBI Director Christopher Wray is among those pushing to preserve FISA&#8217;s Section 702 authorities, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?534718-1/fbi-director-testifies-fy-2025-budget-request&amp;vod&amp;start=1028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telling</a> Congress on Thursday they are &#8220;critical&#8221; to protecting Americans and claiming that adding a warrant requirement would be &#8220;dangerous.&#8221;
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-kill-fisa-as-lawmakers-consider-surveillance-reauthorization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> the FISA bill, as it stands, would not only reauthorize Section 702 for five years, but also implement reforms that would “actually kill the abuses” directed at Trump’s 2016 campaign.
After the vote on Wednesday, in which 19 Republicans joined with all voting Democrats to oppose consideration of the FISA bill, Johnson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wray-calls-for-restoration-of-section-702-of-fisa-potential-for-a-coordinated-attack-in-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> lawmakers will &#8220;regroup&#8221; and insisted the United States &#8220;can’t allow a critical tool like this to just expire.&#8221;

Andrew McCabe

Fired Top FBI Official Concedes ‘Many Mistakes’ In Trump FISA Scandal

Fired Top FBI Official Concedes 'Many Mistakes' In Trump FISA Scandal

FBI Director Christopher Wray <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-director-concerned-lone-wolf-small-groups-draw/story?id=109109335">called</a> for the restoration of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which permits the federal government to gather communications from non-Americans overseas on U.S.-based platforms, but which has also been abused in the past to monitor American citizens.
The much-scrutinized law is up for renewal but failed to pass a key hurdle Wednesday amid internal debate among Republicans about adding adequate protections against future abuse of the law.
Wray, speaking to Congress, cited his “immediate concern” being “individuals or small groups [who] will draw twisted inspiration from the events in the Middle East to carry out attacks here at home.&#8221;
&#8220;But now increasingly concerning is the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, akin to the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia Concert Hall a couple weeks ago,&#8221; Wray added.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has <a href="https://www.intel.gov/assets/documents/702%20Documents/FISA_Section_702_Fact_Sheet_JUN2023.pdf">pointed out</a> how FISA has been used successfully to combat dangers to the U.S.:
<blockquote>
Section 702-acquired information revealed: Insights that have informed the U.S. Government’s understanding of the Chinese origins of a chemical used to synthesize fentanyl; foreign actors’ illicit plans to smuggle methamphetamine across the U.S. border; the quantities and potency of drugs, including fentanyl, destined for illegal transfer to the United States, as well as specific smuggling techniques used to avoid detection; and a foreign narcotics trafficker’s purchase of a vast quantity of pills for transfer to the United States. Section 702-acquired information has been used to identify multiple foreign ransomware attacks on U.S. critical infrastructure. This intelligence positioned the U.S. Government to respond to and mitigate these events, and in some instances prevent significant attacks on U.S. networks.
Section 702-acquired information related to sanctioned foreign adversaries was used in U.S. Government efforts to stop weapons of mass destruction components from reaching foreign actors. Section 702 has identified threats to U.S. troops and disrupted planned terrorist attacks at home and abroad, and contributed to the successful operation against Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2022.
</blockquote>
Though information gained from Section 702 has played a key role in national security efforts, it has also come under heavy fire from those concerned about its potential use to gather information on American citizens. The most notorious incident involved then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016 when intelligence gained from Section 702 was used to spy on Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
Trump encouraged House Republicans this week to oppose reinstating FISA. “KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!!” he wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon.
Nineteen House Republicans blocked the procedural measure to bring the matter to a vote on Wednesday. Critics of the bill said the revisions spearheaded by Republicans were not enough to ensure that the law isn&#8217;t abused going forward.
House Speaker Mike Johnson <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-republicans-are-chaos-fighting-key-surveillance-tool-rcna147175">said</a> after the vote Wednesday, “We will regroup and reformulate another plan. We cannot allow Section 702 of FISA to expire. It&#8217;s too important to national security.”
“We have to strike the balance government always does. You have to &#8230; jealously guard the fundamental liberty of American people,” Johnson added. “You protect the liberty, but at the same time, you got to protect your security. And we can’t allow a critical tool like this to just expire and go out of use.”
 9/11 Families United, an organization representing the families of 9/11 victims, <a href="https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/911-Families-Support-for-702-Reauthorization.pdf">stated</a>, “It is our belief that the failure to renew Section 702 would be detrimental to American national security and would put Americans at risk of new terrorist attacks.”

House Intelligence Committee Hears Testimony On The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment

Wray Calls For Restoration Of Section 702 of FISA: ‘Potential For A Coordinated Attack’ In U.S.

Christopher Wray

Menu