Obamas Option: Lawlessness Or The Rule Of Law

| by Jack Clancey (January 21, 2014, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) A !d"ard Sno"den #a con$inued $o lo"ly relea e %ore in&or%a$ion abou$ $#e "ide 'read in$elligence ga$#ering $ec#ni(ue o& $#e )a$ional Securi$y Agency ()SA), $#ere #a*e been %ore call &or #i% $o be gran$ed an a%ne $y and &ur$#er call &or 'lacing li%i$ on in$elligence ga$#ering by $#e )SA and o$#er in$elligence agencie +

,er S'iegel #a re'or$ed $#a$ )SA #a a #acker uni$, in $#e &ine $radi$ion o& in$elligence o'era$i*e labelled $#e -ailored Acce .'era$ion (-A.), "#ic# #a de*elo'ed $ec#ni(ue $o e/'loi$ $#e "eakne e and #ard"are o& co%'u$er + According $o ,er S'eigel, -A. #a de*elo'ed co%'u$er0%oni$or cable $o record "#a$ a''ear on $#e creen, 1S2 $ick "i$# radio $ran %i$$er and &ake ba e $a$ion $o ob$ain %obile '#one ignal , a "ell a a$$ac#ing e 'ionage o&$"are $o co%'u$er $#a$ "ere in$erce'$ed on $#eir "ay &ro% $#e &ac$ory $o cu $o%er 3 Ano$#er )SA uni$ i $rying $o build a 4(uan$u% co%'u$er5 $o break any $y'e o& encry'$ion u ed by bank , bu ine e , #o 'i$al , la"yer , and go*ern%en$ all o*er $#e "orld $o 'ro$ec$ $#eir record + An online 'e$i$ion, ini$ia$ed a$ $#e $ar$ o& 2014 by &our acade%ic &ro% $#e 1ni*er i$y o& A% $erda%, no" u''or$ed by a$ lea $ 260 acade%ic &ro% %a7or uni*er i$ie , #a called &or an end $o 4blanke$ %a ur*eillance5 by in$elligence agencie + -#e 'e$i$ion no$e $#e %a ur*eillance by $#e )SA *iola$e 4a &unda%en$al rig#$5 'ro$ec$ed by in$erna$ional $rea$ie , including $#e 8n$erna$ional Co*enan$ on Ci*il and 9oli$ical :ig#$ and $#e !uro'ean

Con*en$ion on Hu%an :ig#$ + -#e 'e$i$ion 'oin$ ou$; 4<i$#ou$ 'ri*acy 'eo'le canno$ &reely e/'re $#eir o'inion or eek and recei*e in&or%a$ion+ =oreo*er, %a ur*eillance $urn $#e 're u%'$ion o& innocence in$o a 're u%'$ion o& guil$> ecre$ and un&e$$ered ur*eillance 'rac$ice *iola$e &unda%en$al rig#$ and $#e rule o& la", and under%ine de%ocracy+5 -#e 9e$i$ion call &or ac$ion by go*ern%en$ ; 48n$elligence agencie %u $ be ub7ec$ed $o $ran 'arency and accoun$abili$y+ 9eo'le %u $ be &ree &ro% blanke$ %a ur*eillance conduc$ed by in$elligence agencie &ro% $#eir o"n or &oreign coun$rie +5 ?-#ere i a di $inc$ 'o ibili$y $#a$ 9re iden$ .ba%a #a been a ur'ri ed a $#e re $ o& u by all $#e re*ela$ion !d"ard Sno"den #a %ade abou$ $#e )SA ur*eillance+ 8& o, 9re iden$ .ba%a could $ake $e' $o a''oin$ an inde'enden$ coun el $o conduc$ an in*e $iga$ion in$o $#e &ull e/$en$ o& $#e )SA 'rogra% and indic$ $#o e re 'on ible &or $#e illegal ur*eillance 'rogra% + 8n $#a$ e*en$, #e #ould e/'re $#e gra$i$ude o& ci$i@en &or $#e re*ela$ion %ade by Sno"den, gran$ Sno"den an a%ne $y, and in*i$e #i% $o a i $ "i$# $#e in*e $iga$ion+? 8n #or$, )SA #a co%'le$ely ignored $#e in$ere $ o& all and a''ear $o be a$$e%'$ing $o ga$#er a %uc# in&or%a$ion a i a*ailable abou$ e*eryone and e*ery$#ing+ S#or$ly be&ore Sno"den began #i re*ela$ion , 9re iden$ .ba%a #ad been e/'laining $#a$ $#e 1+S+ Go*ern%en$ "ould no$ allo" C#ine e co%'u$er co%'anie acce $o $#e 1+S+ %arke$ becau e o& concern $#ey "ould ga$#er in&or%a$ion &or $#e C#ine e Go*ern%en$+ )o" $#ere i $#e 'erce'$ion $#a$ 1+S+ co%'u$er rela$ed co%'anie are ei$#er o'enly coo'era$ing "i$# $#e )SA or 'a i*ely acce'$ing $#e )SA gaining 4back door5 acce $o in&or%a$ion in $#eir da$a ba e + -#i could ea ily lead $o lo o& bu ine &or 1+S+ co%'anie in %a7or %arke$ , becau e go*ern%en$ #a*e $#e a%e concern $#a$ 9re iden$ .ba%a #ad+ -#ere #a*e been &ur$#er call &or an a%ne $y &or Sno"den, $#e la$e $ co%ing in recen$ edi$orial by $#e )e" Aork -i%e and $#e Guardian, a "ell a &ro% $#e e/ecu$i*e direc$or o& Hu%an :ig#$ <a$c#, Kenne$# :o$#, "#o $a$ed, 4Sno"den e/'o ed %a7or %i conduc$+ .$#er &iling o&&icial co%'lain$ "ere ignored or 'er ecu$ed+ He #ould be 'ardoned+5 :ecen$ly an edi$orial in $#e Sou$# C#ina =orning 9o $ $a$ed i$ "ould 4"elco%e a 're iden$ial 'ardon5 &or Sno"den+ Ho"e*er 9re iden$ .ba%a #a un$il no" ada%an$ly in i $ed $#a$ Sno"den re$urn $o &ace $rial+ .n $#e o$#er #and, $#ere #a been li$$le di cu ion abou$ "#e$#er $#e )SA e%'loyee , including i$ ,irec$or, and 9re iden$ .ba%a #ould $and $rial &or "#a$ %any con ider $#e illegal and likely uncon $i$u$ional ac$i*i$ie carried ou$ by $#e )SA+ A&$er $#e "ide0 'read in$elligence ga$#ering under $#e ad%ini $ra$ion o& 9re iden$ George <+ 2u #, Congre 'a ed $#e Boreign 8n$elligence Sur*eillance Ac$ 'eci&ically $o 're*en$ in$elligence o*erreac#+ Al$#oug# a$ $#e $i%e $#ere "a $rong u''or$ &or $#e 9a$rio$ Ac$, i$ i doub$&ul $#a$ %o $ %e%ber o& Congre in$ended uc# e/$en i*e ur*eillance+ A :e'ublican :e're en$a$i*e, B+ Ja%e Sen enbrenner Jr+, "#o "a one o& $#e dra&$er o& $#e 9a$rio$ Ac$, #a $a$ed, 4Congre in$ended $o allo" $#e in$elligence co%%uni$ie $o acce $arge$ed in&or%a$ion &or 'eci&ic in*e $iga$ion + Ho" can e*ery call $#a$ e*ery A%erican %ake or recei*e be rele*an$ $o a 'eci&ic in*e $iga$ionC5 -#e ob*iou an "er i $#a$ i$ i no$ rele*an$+ !*en i& a %a7ori$y o& $#e %e%ber o& Congre are o &ear&ul $#a$ $#ey "ould u''or$ uc# in$ru i*e in$elligence, uc# legi la$ion "ould be uncon $i$u$ional+ -#e i ue o& con $i$u$ionali$y i no" be&ore $#e Cour$ + 8n la$e ,ece%ber 201D, Bederal Judge <illia% 9auley in )e" Aork, ee%ingly "i$#ou$ %uc# concern &or con $i$u$ional re $ric$ion ,

di %i ed an a''lica$ion by $#e A%erican Ci*il Liber$ie 1nion and co%%en$ed $#a$ $#e )SA 'rogra% on '#one da$a "a a *i$al $ool $o #el' 're*en$ an Al Eaeda $error a$$ack on A%erican oil+ Ano$#er Bederal 7udge $ook $#e o''o i$e *ie"F Judge Leon $a$ed, 48 canno$ i%agine a %ore indi cri%ina$e and arbi$rary in*a ion $#an $#i y $e%a$ic and #ig#0$ec# collec$ion and re$en$ion o& 'er onal da$a on *ir$ually e*ery ingle ci$i@en+5 2o$# 7udg%en$ "ill be a''ealed and i$ i likely $#e 1+S+ Su're%e Cour$ "ill %ake $#e &inal deci ion on $#e con $i$u$ionali$y o& $#e )SA 'rogra% + Laura ,ono#ue, a la" 'ro&e or and $#e direc$or o& George$o"nG Cen$er on )a$ional Securi$y and $#e La", #a no$ed, 4A a con $i$u$ional %a$$er, $#e Su're%e Cour$ #a long #eld $#a$, "#ere an indi*idual #a a rea onable e/'ec$a$ion o& 'ri*acy, earc# and ei@ure %ay occur only once $#e go*ern%en$ #a ob$ained a "arran$, u''or$ed by 'robable cau e and i ued by a 7udge+ -#e "arran$ %u $ 'eci&y $#e 'lace $o be earc#ed and i$e% $o be ei@ed+5 8n a 201D Su're%e Cour$ 7udg%en$ rela$ed $o a 2H day G9S ur*eillance, Ju $ice Sa%uel Ali$o co%%en$ed $#a$ in %o $ cri%inal in*e $iga$ion , long0$er% %oni$oring 4i%'inge on e/'ec$a$ion o& 'ri*acy+5 8n $#a$ a%e 7udg%en$, Ju $ice Sonia So$o%ayor ob er*ed $#a$ &ollo"ing a 'er onG %o*e%en$ , 4re&lec$ a "eal$# o& de$ail abou$ #er &a%ilial, 'oli$ical, 'ro&e ional, religiou , and e/ual a ocia$ion +5 Hi $rack record indica$e $#a$ 9re iden$ .ba%a "ill con$inue $o &ig#$ bo$# in $#e cour$ and by i uing e/ecu$i*e order $o 'ro$ec$ $#e e/ce i*e 'o"er o& $#e ecuri$y bureaucra$ and 'o"er&ul eli$e ra$#er $#an $#e con $i$u$ional rig#$ o& $#e coun$ryG ci$i@en + Glenn Green"ald, one o& $#e $"o 7ournali $ $o "#o% Sno"den re*ealed $#e )SA 'rac$ice , "ro$e a book en$i$led, <i$# Liber$y and Ju $ice &or So%e, 'ubli #ed in 2011, docu%en$ing #o" $#e 'oli$ical and econo%ic eli$e #a*e bene&i$$ed &ro% $#e double $andard o& 7u $ice $#a$ no" e/i $ in $#e 1+S+ Green"ald "orked a a con $i$u$ional and ci*il rig#$ a$$orney &or 10 year be&ore $urning $o 7ournali %+ Green"ald de cribe $#e 'roce o& #o" $#e 'ardon o& :ic#ard )i/on by 9re iden$ Bord, 47u $i&ied in 1IJ4 a a one$i%e e/ce'$ion, nece i$a$ed by uni(ue circu% $ance K lay $#e &ounda$ion &or eli$e i%%uni$y; a la"0breaking licen e $#a$ 'read $#roug#ou$ $#e 'oli$ical cla and $#en $o i$ 'ar$ner in $#e 'ri*a$e ec$or+5 Green"ald recoun$ #o" nu%erou o&&icial a''oin$ed by 9re iden$ :eagan "ere indic$ed by an inde'enden$ 'ro ecu$or, La"rence <al #+ He $#en de cribe #o" 9re iden$ H+<+ 2u # no$ only gran$ed 'ardon $o )a$ional Securi$y Ad*i er :ober$ =cBarlane and A i $an$ Secre$ary o& S$a$e !llio$ Abra% , bo$# o& "#o% #ad 'leaded guil$y $o %i de%eanor , bu$ al o $o &our o$#er "#o #ad been con*ic$ed, a "ell a $o ,e&en e Secre$ary Ca 'er <einberger 'rior $o #i $rial+ <al # $a$ed, 4<einbergerG early and delibera$e deci ion $o conceal and "i$##old e/$en i*e con$e%'oraneou no$e o& $#e 8ran0con$ra %a$$er radically al$ered $#e o&&icial in*e $iga$ion and 'o ible &ore $alled $i%ely i%'eac#%en$ 'roceeding again $ 9re iden$ :eagan and o$#er o&&icial +5 <al #, a li&elong :e'ublican, la$er co%%en$ed, 49re iden$ 2u #G 'ardon o& Ca 'ar <einberger and o$#er 8ran0con$ra de&endan$ under%ine $#e 'rinci'le $#a$ no %an i abo*e $#e la"+ 8$ de%on $ra$e $#a$ 'o"er&ul 'eo'le "i$# 'o"er&ul allie can co%%i$ eriou cri%e in #ig# o&&ice 0 delibera$ely abu ing $#e 'ublic $ru $ "i$#ou$ con e(uence+5 (%y e%'#a i added) Green"ald $#en de cribe #o" in 200J, 4a unani%ou &ederal 7ury &ound Lice 9re iden$ ,ick C#eneyG c#ie& o& $a&&, Le"i 4Scoo$er5 Libby guil$y o& &our o& $#e &i*e &elonie &or "#ic# #e #ad been indic$ed+5 Libby "a en$enced $o a $er% o& D0 %on$# in 'ri on+ Green"ald a$ $#a$ $i%e "ro$e; 4Ha*ing a na$ion "a$c# $#i 'o"er&ul 2u # o&&icial be declared a cri%inal K de 'i$e

#a*ing been de&ended by $#e be $ legal $ea% %oney can buy K re oundingly rea&&ir% $#e 'rinci'le $#a$ our #ig#e $ 'oli$ical o&&icial can and %u $ be #eld accoun$able "#en $#ey break $#e la"+5 Green"aldG o'$i%i $ic 7oy did no$ la $ long; "i$#in one %on$# 9re iden$ 2u # announced $#a$ LibbyG en$ence #ad been co%%u$ed and #e "ould no$ er*e any $i%e in 7ail+ Green"ald co%%en$ed $#a$ a "i$# 2u #G &a$#erG 'ardon o& cri%inal o&&icial "#o could #a*e i%'lica$ed #i% in cri%e , 4 o, $oo, did 2u #G co%%u$a$ion o& LibbyG en$ence 'ro*ide 're iden$ial 'ro$ec$ion $o an indi*idual "#o could "ell #a*e incri%ina$ed $#e 're iden$+ .nce again, "i$# a "a*e o& $#e 're iden$ial #and, $#e rule o& la" "a aboli #ed and $#e rule o& %en re $ored+5 -#en candida$e .ba%a en$ered $#e 'oli$ical $age and 'ro%i ed $#a$ $#ing "ould be di&&eren$ i& #e "ere elec$ed+ Green"ald recall #o" 4.ba%a 'laced $#e re $ora$ion o& $#e rule o& la" a$ $#e #ear$ o& #i ca%'aign, 'ro%i ing $o re*er e $#e cul$ure o& la"le ne in <a #ing$on+5 Candida$e .ba%a 'u$ i$ $#i "ay; 4<e "ill again e$ an e/a%'le &or $#e "orld $#a$ $#e rule o& la" i no$ ub7ec$ $o $#e "#i% o& $ubborn ruler , and $#a$ 7u $ice i no$ arbi$rary+5 Soon a&$er candida$e .ba%a beca%e 9re iden$ .ba%a, #e began $o ing a di&&eren$ $une abou$ u'#olding $#e rule o& la"+ Green"ald docu%en$ #o" 9re iden$ .ba%a, 4'a iona$ely de*o$ed #i% el& $o blocking and u''re ing all in*e $iga$ion o& $#e 2u # ad%ini $ra$ion, "#e$#er carried ou$ by $#e ,.J or by Congre , by 1+S+ cour$ or by 7udge o*er ea + -#u began .ba%aG cru ade a a c#a%'ion o& eli$e i%%uni$y K o& $#e *ery MScoo$er Libby 7u $iceG #e #ad *o"ed $o end+5 Green"ald gi*e e/a%'le o& #o" $#e .ba%a ad%ini $ra$ion #a 'ro ecu$ed $#o e "#o #a*e re*ealed illegali$y by go*ern%en$ o&&icial $o de$er o$#er 'o$en$ial "#i $le blo"er , 4> &ur$#er blocking one o& $#e *ery &e" re%aining 'a$# A%erican #a*e $o breac# $#e *ir$ually i%'ene$rable "all o& ecrecy urrounding $#e ur*eillance and na$ional ecuri$y $a$e+5 Green"ald conclude $#e 'ur'o e i 4$o en ure $#a$ #ig#0le*el cri%inali$y and o$#er &or% o& corru'$ion can $ake 'lace &ree o& all accoun$abili$y+5 -#ere i a di $inc$ 'o ibili$y $#a$ 9re iden$ .ba%a #a been a ur'ri ed a $#e re $ o& u by all $#e re*ela$ion !d"ard Sno"den #a %ade abou$ $#e )SA ur*eillance+ 8& o, 9re iden$ .ba%a could $ake $e' $o a''oin$ an inde'enden$ coun el $o conduc$ an in*e $iga$ion in$o $#e &ull e/$en$ o& $#e )SA 'rogra% and indic$ $#o e re 'on ible &or $#e illegal ur*eillance 'rogra% + 8n $#a$ e*en$, #e #ould e/'re $#e gra$i$ude o& ci$i@en &or $#e re*ela$ion %ade by Sno"den, gran$ Sno"den an a%ne $y, and in*i$e #i% $o a i $ "i$# $#e in*e $iga$ion+ .n $#e o$#er #and, 9re iden$ .ba%a %ay #a*e been &ully in*ol*ed in a''ro*ing all a 'ec$ o& $#e "ide 'read ur*eillance 'rogra%+ 8& $#e %e%ber o& Congre decide $#o e 'olicie no$ only e/ceed $#e le$$er, bu$ al o $#e 'iri$ o& $#e legi la$ion andNor $#e Su're%e Cour$ decide $#e )SA 'rogra% are in breac# o& rig#$ 'ro$ec$ed by $#e con $i$u$ion, 9re iden$ .ba%a "ill $#en need $o be concerned+ 9re iden$ .ba%aG in*i$a$ion &or a deba$e on )SAG 4Ge$ All $#e ,a$a <e Can on Anybody and Any$#ing5 ur*eillance 'rogra% indica$e $#a$ 9re iden$ .ba%a %ig#$ no" recogni@e $#e e/$en i*e da%age $#a$ #a been cau ed by $#o e 'rogra% + 9re iden$ .ba%a #a $o decide "#e$#er #e "i #e $o con$inue $#e 4<a #ing$on !li$e 9olicy5 o& 'ro$ec$ing arrogan$ o&&icial and bureaucra$ "#o are $ra%'ling $#e rig#$ o& ordinary 'eo'le around $#e "orld or "#e$#er #e "an$ $o re$urn $o $#e *alue #e e 'ou ed a a candida$e, na%ely $o re*er e $#e cul$ure o& la"le ne and re$urn $o $#e rule o& la"+