The FBI illegally gathered records of more than 2,000 domestic telephone calls between 2002 and 2006, by invoking nonexistent
terrorist threats or by simply asking phone companies for the information, The Washington Post reported. The bureau often justified the privacy violations by issuing approvals for its record-collecting after the fact.
Calling their methods “good-hearted but not well-thought-out,” FBI General Counsel Valerie Caproni said, “We should have stopped those requests from being made that way.” Records show that FBI managers continued to approve requests for records for two years after bureau lawyers raised concerns.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Can Trump put his tariffs on stronger legal footing?Today's Big Question Appeals court says 'emergency' tariffs are improper
-
Film reviews: The Roses, Splitsville, and TwinlessFeature A happy union devolves into domestic warfare, a couple's open marriage reaps chaos, and an unlikely friendship takes surprising turns
-
Thought-provoking podcasts you may have missed this summerThe Week Recommends Check out a true crime binger, a deep-dive into history and more
