'Defund the Police' Should Include Federal Cops Too
Federal spending on policing has quadrupled since the 1980s, while state and local spending has increased by about one-third.
FBI
Edward Snowden, the Surveillance State, and the 'Dark Mirror' Still Watching Us All
National security journalist Barton Gellman talks about "the surveillance-industrial state," the possibility of a Biden presidency or a second Trump term, and his gripping new book.
How Edward Snowden Revealed the 'Dark Mirror' of the Surveillance State
Barton Gellman's new book is a riveting account of exposing NSA excesses to the light of the day.
Justice Department Attempts To Blame Encryption for Terrorist Attack Feds Failed To See Coming
The FBI and attorney general want to ruin everybody's data security and draft Apple into compromising your safety.
The Michael Flynn Unmasking Fight Is Another Chance for More Transparency About Secret Government Surveillance
People insisted the wiretapping of Carter Page was perfectly normal. That turned out to be wrong.
Senate Renews FBI Surveillance Powers With Modest Reforms
An effort by Sen. Rand Paul to forbid warrantless investigation of citizens was soundly defeated.
List of Obama Officials Who Sought Unmasking of Michael Flynn Includes Joe Biden
Plus: Washington, D.C., extends its lockdown and U.S. COVID-19 cases might finally be declining.
Senate Votes Down Protections Against Warrantless Government Collection of Americans' Browser and Search History
The amendment lost by one vote. Absent from today's vote? Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Justice Department Moves To Dismiss Charges Against Michael Flynn
Feds now say the national security advisor's lie wasn’t “material” and they cannot prove it.
FISA Surveillance and Possible Reforms Are Back on the Senate's Agenda
The USA Freedom Act expired in March. Some senators are pushing for better privacy protections before the renewal vote.
The Logan Act Doesn't Justify Mike Flynn's Prosecution—It Further Politicizes It
If you’re invoking an obscure law designed for the purpose of punishing political adversaries, don’t be surprised when it backfires.
Much of the FBI's Treatment of Mike Flynn Was Business as Usual, and That's the Scandal
Agents regularly attempt to catch suspects in lies to threaten them with prosecution, even when they can’t prove underlying crimes.
Can Police Task Forces Play Jurisdiction Games To Avoid Liability for Misconduct?
An innocent man was beaten up by a local police detective and an FBI agent. No one wants to take responsibility.
The FBI Is Routinely Screwing Up FISA Warrants Targeting Americans
Carter Page was not an anomaly.
Is the FBI Snooping on Political Groups and Ideological Publications?
They have a long history of spying on dissident political groups, from early 20th century socialists and mid-century civil rights leaders to modern environmentalists and Black Lives Matter.
Will We See Real Surveillance Reform This Week?
The USA Freedom Act is about to sunset. Who will decide how and if it will be changed?
The Feds' Bulk Collection of Our Data Records Has Been Expensive and Useless. But That Doesn't Mean It's Going to Stop.
A congressional battle erupts over how much to reform the soon-to-expire USA Freedom Act—if they reform it at all.
The FBI's Sloppy FISA Surveillance Is Exposed
The findings shared by Inspector General Michael Horowitz revealed some rotten practices at the FBI and a major media blindspot.
The Government Says These Men Have No Recourse Against FBI Agents Who Used the 'No Fly' List To Punish Them
The Supreme Court will decide whether three Muslims who refused to be informants can sue for damages under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Michael Flynn Wants To Withdraw Guilty Plea, Alleges Prosecutors Threatened To Indict His Son
The former national security advisor accuses prosecutors of misconduct—and says his former defense lawyers had conflicts of interest.
The FBI Wants To Treat Carter Page Warrant Mistakes Like Training Problems. A Court Adviser Says That's Not Enough.
After seriously messing up its warrant applications with the FISA Court, can the FBI be trusted?
The FBI Wants Access to a Mass Shooter's iPhone. Will They Demand a Back Door?
A deadly shooting on a Naval base in Florida may lead to a new battle against encryption.
Is the FBI Snooping on Political Groups and Ideological Publications?
The Cato Institute wants Congress to investigate the FBI after it refused to confirm or deny the existence of files on dozens of political advocacy groups.
Are We Experiencing a Nationwide 'Anti-Semitism Crisis'?
Hate crime data suggest that claim is overblown.
Trumpists Who Attacked the 'Deep State' Now Instinctively Trust U.S. Intelligence Agencies About the Soleimani Strike
Be skeptical of the spymasters.
The FBI's Systematic Dishonesty
The problems revealed by the DOJ inspector general go far beyond "errors" and "sloppiness."
The FISA Court Wants Answers About the Problems with FBI's Carter Page Warrants
Judge demands to know what the agency will do prevent future “omissions” in the applications.
James Comey Asked the American People To Trust the FBI. Why Should They?
In an interview with Fox News, the former FBI director admitted mistakes with the FISA process but defended his team.
Richard Jewell Shows What a Conservative Hollywood Would Look Like
Clint Eastwood's masterful true-life drama about a wrongly accused American hero doubles as an awkward brief for Trump.
National Security Surveillance Apologists Are Starting to See the Light
Privacy advocates have long warned about potential abuses. Will the mishandling of the Carter Page investigation change some minds?
Inspector General Michael Horowitz's Testimony on FBI Failures Should Be a Wakeup Call for the Media and the GOP
Republicans were wrong to side with the state on privacy issues, and the media was wrong to lionize anti-Trump G-men.
The FBI Will Be Audited To See How Frequently They Screw Up Other FISA Warrants
Was what happened with Carter Page an anomaly or does the agency regularly leave out important information?
The Inspector General Report Is a Huge Blow to the FBI's Credibility. Why Is It Being Treated Like Vindication?
The government's surveillance of Carter Page might not have been improperly motivated, but it was still seriously flawed.
Report Says FBI Snooping on Trump Campaign Aide Was Justified but Badly Mishandled
The FBI’s screw-ups when wiretapping Carter Page weren’t motivated by political bias. But that’s not exactly good news.
Mindhunter
The Netflix original series chronicles the origins and development of the FBI's profiling unit and its quest to identify serial murderers.
As Times Change, the FBI's Snoopy and Heavy-Handed Ways Continue
The bureau has a long history of escaping accountability for intrusive and abusive action.
Don't Look for Good Guys in Trump's Battle With the FBI
Even if they unseat a president opposed by many Americans, the FBI and the intelligence community are not the heroes you're looking for.
The FBI Rebrands Its Sex Worker Harassment Campaign
Operation Independence Day is just Operation Cross Country by a different name.
The Same FBI That Wants To Destroy Encryption Is Still Illegally Snooping on Americans
Years after surveillance reforms, federal personnel can’t seem to comply with the Fourth Amendment.
Children, Refugees, and Anyone Booked by ICE Will Have DNA Added to Criminal Database
Plus: Parents sue Illinois child services, Pennsylvania mulls liquor-store weed sales, Giuliani consorts with Manafort, and more...
Government Employees Think People Hate Them. Increasingly, They're Right
Many arms of government are unpopular with large swathes of the American population.
How the FBI Abets White Supremacists and Terrorists
Whistleblower Michael German's new book exposes how the FBI failed us on 9/11 and continues to endanger us all through racism, incompetence, and institutional inertia.
Report: James Comey Broke FBI Rules by Leaking Trump Memos, but He Didn't Reveal Classified Info to the Press
Partisans, to your battle stations!
The Government Wants a 'Red Flag' Social Media Tool. That's a Terrible Idea.
The FBI is looking for companies to comb through social media posts and pinpoint possible threats ahead of time. Think of it like a meme-illiterate Facebook-stalking precog from Minority Report.
FBI Rebrands National Sex Sting as 'Operation Independence Day'
The operation is still arresting sex workers and calling it a rescue mission.
Acts of Politically Motivated Violence Are Already Illegal. Making 'Domestic Terrorism' a Federal Crime Won't Help
A domestic terrorism law is bound to threaten liberty more than it hampers terrorists.
The Justice Department Renews Its Irresponsible Calls for Encryption Bypasses
In order to fight crime, Americans must...make their data more susceptible to hacking?
Ted Cruz Wants Antifa Investigated by the FBI
This is a bad idea—and even the director of the FBI says so.
