FBI's Improper Searches Uncover Politicians' Involvement in Surveillance Program

A newly declassified court ruling reveals that an FBI analyst misused a warrantless surveillance program to conduct overly broad searches on two lawmakers, including a US senator, last June. While the analyst had a legitimate reason to search for information about the legislators, the queries were too wide-ranging and did not include limiting terms to screen out irrelevant material. The ruling adds to a series of disclosures over the past year, highlighting violations of the Section 702 querying standard by the FBI. The incident is likely to fuel criticism of the program, which is set to expire at the end of the year, as Congress debates whether or how to extend it. Privacy advocates argue for greater limits on the program, including requiring a court warrant before using Americans' identifiers to search intercepted communications.