March 09, 2007

Ah, Yes, Trusting The Government Is Always The Right Thing To Do (Part 2,494)

Via the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FBI underreported how often it used the USA Patriot Act to force businesses to turn over customer information in suspected terrorism cases, according to a Justice Department audit.

(snip)

Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine's report says the number of letters was underreported by 20 percent, according to the officials.

Fine conducted the audit as required by Congress and over the objections of the Bush administration.

Yes, that's right, the FBI was using an unobservable technique (National Security Letters do not have to be requested from a court, as do warrants), and didn't even keep track of how many they sent out. Lovely. Just lovely.

Oh, and read that last paragraph again: this administration opposed the Congressionally-mandated audit (big surprise). My scandal-meter has been pegged in the red for so long I can't really work up much outrage over this. Just par for the course, really.

Posted by baltar at March 9, 2007 09:36 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Corruption | J. Edgar Hoover | Law and the Courts | Politics


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