In an interview with National Journal, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper clarified remarks over NSA snooping. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Obama has told us we should trust that his administration is doing the right thing with the telephony metadata that they are collecting.
Trust.
Here’s what James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, said in a public, senate hearing 3 months ago on surveillance.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon):
“Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?”
James Clapper:
“No.”
Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon):
“It does not?”
James Clapper:
“Not wittingly. There are cases where they could, inadvertently perhaps, collect—but not wittingly.”
Last week, Mr. Clapper clarified what he meant when he said no:
“What I said was, the NSA does not voyeuristically pour through U.S. citizens’ e-mails. I stand by that.”
So there you have it. Mr. Clapper directly lied about what the NSA was doing. He lied, in public, in sworn testimony before the US Senate.
Here’s my bottom line: trust is a difficult thing to earn when you are known to lie.
And you know how I feel about people that lie.
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