(SEE UPDATE BELOW)
It looks like Trump has just reversed course on the vote today regarding the controversial Section 702 of the FISA Act. Here’s what he had to say this morning:
“House votes on controversial FISA ACT today.” This is the act that may have been used, with the help of the discredited and phony Dossier, to so badly surveil and abuse the Trump Campaign by the previous administration and others?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018
Just yesterday this release was put out from the White House, strongly opposing an amendment that would curtail Section 702:
It sounds like the White House has conflicting opinions or Trump has changed his mind overnight. I’m not even sure Trump wants it reauthorized, based on his tweet.
Justin Amash, who is pushing this USA Rights Act amendment to 702 that the White House opposed in it’s statement yesterday but that it seems like Trump might be supporting today, explains what the amendment does:
Section 702 of FISA allows the government to conduct warrantless searches on Americans and maintain massive troves of our data—but it is about to expire. Congress now has 15 days to decide whether to protect the #4thAmendment or let the government continue to eviscerate it.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 4, 2018
Reauthorizing #FISA702 while protecting Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights is easy—pass the @RonWyden @RandPaul @RepZoeLofgren @JudgeTedPoe #USARIGHTSAct (#S1997/#HR4124).
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 4, 2018
#USARIGHTSAct:
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 4, 2018
✅ substantially and permanently limits the collection of Americans’ data
✅ requires a warrant to search for Americans’ communications in the government’s massive stores of #FISA702 data &
✅ limits the use of warrantlessly collected data to prosecute Americans.
Supporters of the #USARIGHTSAct include @ACLU @FreedomWorks @NAACP @C4Liberty @demandprogress @IndivisibleTeam @ALALibrary @CenDemTech @GovAcctProj @BrennanCenter & @OTI.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 4, 2018
With the expiration of #FISA702, Congress has the opportunity to reverse the government’s illegal erosion of our #4thAmendment-secured right to be free from warrantless searches and seizures. There’s only one bill circulating in the House that does that: the #USARIGHTSAct.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 4, 2018
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 4, 2018
Honestly this amendment sounds like exactly what is needed. In fact Rand Paul is so convinced of this, that if they try and reauthorize Section 702 without any protections, he will filibuster:
The House votes this morning on our FISA reform to stop warrantless spying on American citizens. Let’s strike a blow for liberty today #GetAWarrant
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 11, 2018
.@RandPaul said he is willing to filibuster the NSA Surveillance Bill unless constitutional protections are added. Paul supports reforming Section 702 of the Foreign Intel Surveillance Act (FISA) "to protect Americans' Fourth Amendment rights." pic.twitter.com/9CNqxLe19a
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) January 10, 2018
So that’s what is at stake today and I’m not sure anyone is actually sure where Trump stands on this now because of his tweet. Is he still for it without amendment as the White House suggested yesterday? Or has he reversed course and is now pushing for the USA Rights Act amendment? Or does he oppose it altogether?
UPDATE:
While I was writing this article Trump just tweeted that we now needs the FISA Act.
With that being said, I have personally directed the fix to the unmasking process since taking office and today’s vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land. We need it! Get smart!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018
My guess is someone saw the confusion he created and told him to fix it.