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Watchdog Report Shows Wiretap Powers Ineffective

The Justice Department's Inspector General has released the latest report to Congress on government surveillance. The report includes a review of the FBI's data collection under Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which was revised by the Freedom Act. According to the IG report, FBI agents "did not identify any major case developments that resulted from use of the records obtained in response to the [Section 215] orders." Similar findings were made by the PCLOB and the Senate Judiciary Committee: section 215 has not prevented terrorist acts. The Second Circuit ruled last year that the NSA's telephone record collection program exceeded the legal authority of Section 2015. EPIC recently obtained nonpublic IG reports through a FOIA lawsuit.


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