Patriot Acting
Like Ty Asked Danny in Caddy Shack, “This isn’t Russia is it?”
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared the bulk collection of U.S. citizens’ phone records to be illegal. Specifically, the court ruled that Section 215 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act cannot legitimately be interpreted to allow bulk collection of domestic phone records.
However, the court did acknowledge the difficulty in balancing between security and privacy. Rather than issue an order to immediately stop the program, it left the decision to Congress to decide to stop the collections or allow them to continue in some form.
The ruling comes just weeks before the U.S.A. Patriot act is set to expire on June 1st. While the House Judiciary Committee passed the U.S.A. Freedom Act that addresses President Obama’s proposal to end the current Section 215 policies, Senator Mitch McConnell has vowed to fight changes to the U.S.A. Patriot Act in the Senate.
The New York Times Says a Fight is Brewing. Will it be Better than the Mayweather-Pacquiao Bout?
In an article filled with fighting words, The New York Times reported that the bulk collection of phone records was deemed by the court to be illegal. The language in the article includes terms such as a “…fight in Congress…pressure on Senator Mitch McConnell…aggressively defended…gave no ground.”
The New York Times also quoted Alexander Abdo, the victorious American Civil Liberties Union lawyer in the case as proclaiming the ruling is a “victory for the rule of law that should spur Congress into action.” Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy , and Republican Senator Mike Lee jointly stated they will not extend the U.S.A. Patriot Act and forwarded the U.S.A. Freedom Act as a solution because it resolves problems with bulk telephone records collection.
Senator McConnell denounced to the U.S.A. Freedom Act by claiming it will neither keep us safe nor protect or privacy.” But can anyone prove that the N.S.A. treatment of Section 215 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act actually accomplished either of those goals?
Fox News Pulls Punches and Reports the Phone Record Collection is “Excessive.”
Fox News Pulls Punches and Reports the Phone Record Collection is “Excessive.”
Unlike the New York Times, that raises the specter of a Congressional battle, Fox News reporting is more subdued and simply says the court ruling is a blow to the program. And rather than characterize Senator McConnell as itching for a fight, they quote the Senator as looking for a “clean” extension of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
Fox News quoted Senator Rand Paul as saying the ruling is, “…a monumental decision for all lover’s of liberty.” Fox News also reported that the National Security Council, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and other Obama Administration officials are evaluating the decision. In short, ho hum, an act of the N.S.A. illegally spying on Americans is coming to an end.
Al Jazeera America Seems Like Baby Bear and is Just Right (Maybe a Little Left)
Like the New York Times, Al Jazeera America reported that the N.S.A. bulk telephone record collection was illegal and not just excessive. While Fox News wrote that the A.C.L.U. denied its request for an interview, the bulk of the Al Jazeera article is devoted to A.C.L.U. interviews.
Democratic Representative Adam Schiff is quoted as hoping the court’s ruling will lead to real reform. Anthony D. Romero, the executive director of the A.C.L.U. went one step further and predicted that Congress will have to significantly increase reform because he believes the current reforms in Congress will not address the concerns raised by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
In the end, Al Jazeera has an optimistic outlook as it reports that Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr is open to a compromise. A compromise to pass legislation in a timely manner would certainly be a refreshing change and in stark contrast to the fight the New York Times is predicting.
Who won this round of reporting?
It was 2:1 of The New York Times and Al Jazeera America calling the N.S.A. program illegal and Fox News simply reporting the program as excessive. But it was also 2:1 of Fox News and Al Jazeera America predicting some sort of solution while the New York Times is looking for a fight. Does this make Al Jazeera the winner of consensus reporting? The good news is we only have to wait until June 1st to see what the scorecards will show.
