Latest in Intelligence Oversight
Analysis of newly disclosed documents undergirding the international intelligence sharing arrangement between the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, otherwise known as the Five Eyes alliance.
On Monday, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published the following directive and accompanying memo regarding the Intelligence Community's policies for protecting privacy and civil liberties and provide for greater transparency. The order updates a 2012 directive.
Should C-59 become law, it will provide a notable addition to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service’s capabilities: the authority to collect, retain and use “datasets” in support of domestic and foreign intelligence mandates.
Canada is reforming its national security law, including the law governing its foreign intelligence and cyber-security service, the Communications Security Establishment.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court sent the following letters to the chairmen of the House intelligence and judiciary committees on Thursday.
Letter to House intelligence committee Chairman Devin Nunes:
Over the last week, there's been a great deal of discussion on Lawfare regarding the role that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court might play in clearing up controversy over the Nunes memo. As a matter of fact, there isn't much doubt that the FISA Court has plenty of authority to investigate and punish Justice Department and FBI officials who have filed misleading pleadings.
Susan Hennessey and I filed a brief today before the FISC suggesting that the court should clarify publicly whether it is satisfied with the DOJ’s conduct before it.
As the details continue to emerge of exactly what transpired to obtain the FISA authorization targeting Carter Page, it is worth pausing to reflect on what unintended consequences may result from the Nunes memo.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court is well-positioned to clear up the question of whether the FBI and Justice Department presented misleading information when they sought orders to surveil former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
The memo’s preparation and public dissemination represent a profound betrayal of the central premise of the intelligence oversight system.