Conservatives scored a victory in the House yesterday when 19 Republicans joined Democrats in stopping Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s FISA reauthorization. But some are concerned that a clean reauthorization may now pass, eliminating the warrant requirement altogether.
Charlie Kirk posted the names of the 19 Republicans who voted against it. But Congressman Thomas Massie noted that in doing so, they also prevented a vote on the warrant requirement to spy on Americans.
It’s more complicated than that Charlie. Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, and Adam Schiff voted the same way as well.
This group also stopped a vote on requiring the government to get a warrant.
It’s more complicated than that Charlie. Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi, and Adam Schiff voted the same way as well.
This group also stopped a vote on requiring the government to get a warrant.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 11, 2024
According to Nicholas Ballasy from Just The News, Speaker Johnson may now push forward a clean reauthorization bill:
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., could now turn to a clean Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act extension bill after a reauthorization bill with a bipartisan warrant requirement amendment failed to advance in the GOP-led House on Wednesday.
A clean bill could allow for warrantless surveillance of American citizens for another five years. If Speaker Johnson were to push it or allow a vote if the Senate were to pass their own, it would likely pass in the House with a combination of centrist Republicans and Democrats supporting it.
President Trump has called for FISA to be “killed” altogether, having been a victim of its use during and after the 2016 presidential election. Speaker Johnson noted that the amendments that were blocked Wednesday would have prevented the spying done on Trump and his campaign.
“I look forward to talking with him about it. Here’s the thing about FISA, he’s not wrong, of course, they abused FISA,” Johnson said, referring to the launch of the Russia collusion probe. “These reforms would actually kill the abuses that allowed President Trump’s campaign to be spied on.”
Despite taking the defeat, it seems unlikely Speaker Johnson would allow for a clean reauthorization bill. It would be political suicide, aligning him with his RINO predecessors in Republican House leadership. But if it’s a choice between a clean bill and allowing FISA to expire later this month, Speaker Johnson may feel like he has no other choice.
Senator Mike Lee doesn’t seem worried.
Don’t fall for the hyperbole.
The sky is not about to fall.
We must not allow for a “clean”reauthorization of FISA 702.
We must continue to fight until we can attach a warrant requirement to FISA 702.
Get a warrant!
Don’t fall for the hyperbole.
The sky is not about to fall.
We must not allow for a “clean”reauthorization of FISA 702.
We must continue to fight until we can attach a warrant requirement to FISA 702.
Get a warrant! https://t.co/Hs0hLTAZDg
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) April 10, 2024
Well they’re making a nice distracting dog and pony show of it, but when’s’ the last time our intel apparatus gave a flying hoot about the constitution? NSA, CIA, FBI, DHS, etc. they’ve all been caught violating the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Nothing is ever done. They’re going to continue to spy on US citizens with or without warrants.
Like traffic checkpoints/roadblocks.. They unquestionably violate the 4th Amendment. But courts have ruled them legal in many cases on the basis that they’re in the state’s interest.
Once the state can violate the Bill of Rights as long as it’s deemed to be in the state’s interest, then there is no Bill of Rights, the entire purpose of which is to protect the people from the state, in the first place.
“You’ll get a warrant, or we’ll have a hearing and bellyache about it for half a day, but do nothing!” – Congress