I'll Make a Bet
A blistering Justice Department report accuses the FBI of
underreporting its use of the Patriot Act to force businesses to turn
over customer information in terrorism cases....The report, to be
released Friday, also says the FBI failed to send follow-up subpoenas
to telecommunications firms that were told to expect them.....Overall,
the FBI underreported the number of national security letters it issued
by about 20 percent between 2003 and 2005..... In 2005 alone, the FBI
delivered a total of 9,254 letters relating to 3,501 U.S. citizens and
legal residents.The Patriot Act....allows the FBI to issue national
security letters without a judge's approval in terrorism and espionage
cases.
Here is my bet: Even more interesting will be a review of these letters, if that is ever allowed, to see how many really had any burning relation to national security. My guess is that many of these are being used in drug cases and financial cases that only the most creative FBI agent could twist into a national security situation.
