FBI mistakenly searched surveillance data for US Senator, court confirms.

FBI Inappropriately Searched ⁤Surveillance ​Data for Senators

In a court opinion released on Friday, it was revealed that FBI⁢ employees and agents had conducted inappropriate⁤ searches of foreign surveillance data using the last names​ of​ a state senator and a U.S. senator.​ This finding​ was included in a‍ 117-page order‌ that ⁢was declassified on July 16 by the foreign intelligence surveillance ⁣court. The‌ court document disclosed that⁢ an unnamed FBI analyst had conducted four separate searches‌ using the senators’ last names, revealing that the lawmakers ​were being targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. However, ⁢the Justice ⁢Department’s national security division determined that ⁤these searches did not meet the FBI’s internal standards.

Another instance of improper ​search⁢ was also highlighted in the‌ court opinion. ​An FBI employee⁢ had⁤ queried the Social ⁣Security ⁤number‌ of a state ⁣judge who had reported civil rights⁣ violations by a municipal chief of police. ⁢The judge’s Social ⁣Security number was⁣ accessed without sufficient evidence to authorize the search.

The court opinion did not disclose the names, states, or ‌party affiliations of the individuals involved, but it did‍ confirm that foreign entities were targeting ‍these ⁤officials. While the unnamed U.S. senator has been notified of the search, the state senator and state judge have not been informed.

Other Details

The court filing also revealed a decrease in‍ the total number of searches for Americans. Over a year-long period ending in March, ‍the FBI conducted⁢ approximately 180,000 searches of U.S. citizens ‍and other American entities, ​significantly lower than the previous ​reported number of ⁢around 2 million searches between December 2020 ⁤and February 2021.‍ This decrease indicates less intrusion into‍ the private communications of U.S. persons, according⁢ to the foreign surveillance judge.

However, these ‌improper⁤ searches ⁣could ​jeopardize the reauthorization of the Section 702 surveillance collection program, which is set to expire by the end of this year. Despite assurances from the FBI and Judge Rudolph Contreras, concerns ⁢remain about the bureau’s conduct.

In recent years, there has been growing criticism from Republicans, including former President Donald Trump,⁣ regarding the FBI’s ​alleged targeting of conservatives ‍and Republican ‌politicians. This has led⁢ to calls for ⁢reform or ⁣even⁤ dismantling of the bureau. Both Republican and Democrat lawmakers have​ proposed reforms to the Section ⁣702 program in order ⁤to ‌secure its reauthorization.