SECRECY & THE SECURITY STATE - page 3

The Supreme Court declined the opportunity to hear a challenge to penetrating internet surveillance powers exposed by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden. Justices turned down the appeal of Mohamed Osman Mohamud in a series of orders issued on Monday. They gave no reason why, as per standard procedure, considering the high number of cases before the court. Mohamud was found guilty of attempting to set off explosives at a Portland, Ore. Christmas tree lighting in November 2010, in the name of Islamist fundamentalism.…

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Lawmakers could use an upcoming spending fight to void Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ latest crackdown on marijuana use. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) reacted on Thursday to Sessions rescinding an Obama-era guidance that relaxed federal enforcement of marijuana laws in states that had legalized recreational use of the substance. In a statement, Wyden called the Attorney General’s move part of an “extremist anti-marijuana crusade.” “Any budget deal Congress considers in the coming days must build on current law to prevent the federal government from intruding in state-legal, voter-supported…

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Hardline xenophobic elements within the Trump administration and the Republican Party are beating the drums about immigration, two months before the status of Dreamers is set to expire. Thomas Homan, Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director, said Tuesday that local officials who don’t fully cooperate with the agency should face criminal prosecution. “We gotta take [sanctuary cities] to court, and we gotta start charging some of these politicians with crimes,” Homan said in a Fox News interview. Homan made remarks the day after California became…

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A short-term spending resolution to keep the government open through most of January also includes a brief extension of a controversial spying authority. Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act sunsets at the end of the year, threatening to curtail intelligence programs that have come under increased scrutiny since revelations made by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden in 2013. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill had seized on the upcoming expiration date in order to advance reforms to the program that would better protect Americans’ privacy. Certain…

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The US military concurred with a government watchdog that said it should set up anonymous reporting avenues for troops to report sexual harassment—channels that don’t currently exist within the Army and Marine Corps. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed in a report on Monday that the two branches of the armed forces are currently out of compliance with a 2013 law that mandated the creation of a framework to better respond to sexual harassment allegations within the ranks. Section 579 of the 2013 National Defense…

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A federal judge in Washington ruled against the Trump administration on Monday, paving the way for transgender Americans to sign up for the military next year. Federal District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly shot down the White House’s argument that allowing transgender service would harm the armed forces. Within minutes of her ruling, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. David Eastburn confirmed to reporters that beginning Jan. 1, 2018, transgender individuals would be allowed to enlist in the military. That policy was established under the Obama administration, which had originally…

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The Director of the FBI defended the continued use of a controversial spying authority that expires at the end of the year. But, in an appearance on Capitol Hill Thursday, Christopher Wray was met with demands that the Bureau act more transparently about how it uses spying tools before any authorities are extended. Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act sunsets in three weeks. The statute’s expiration could curtail the ability of intelligence and law enforcement agencies to conduct powerful forms of surveillance. “I would implore the…

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A Republican Senator overcame his concerns about a judicial nominee’s tweets, voting to move the Texas Supreme Court Justice one step closer to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) said he was afraid social media posts by Don Willett could sour the perceptions of potential litigants before him. Willett was approved Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee in an 11-9 vote along strict party lines. Kennedy joined his Republican colleagues in voting “yes.” “I share some of the concerns today expressed…

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A top law enforcement official under the George W. Bush administration was reportedly once involved in cocaine trafficking prior to government service, according to a frank public discussion today by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a veteran member of the committee and its former chair, said that Republicans insisted that the unnamed Justice Department nominee be confirmed by the Senate—despite the prior disqualification of judicial nominees based solely on their cannabis usage. The remarks came amid a proposal by Sen. Dick Durbin…

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Government watchdogs testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday and reported something unexpected: their jobs have gotten easier during the Trump era. Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz told lawmakers on Wednesday that a years-long standoff over access to records has thawed thanks to legislation signed into law in the waning days of the Obama administration. “The IG community’s ability to continue its important work was greatly enhanced by the passage of the IG Empowerment Act,” Horowitz testified. The legislation upended a DOJ Office…

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