ABC News was flatly told by a senior federal law enforcement official that the government is using the contents of the illegally obtained NSA calling-records database to determine what government officials have been leaking information to news sources. (Link)
This puts a huge chilling effect on people's abilities to speak to the press about things that are occurring within our government, especially when they are illegal, immoral, or both. It makes it so much harder for people to speak up, and THIS SHOULD outrage people. It just plain should shake people to think that the government has illegally collected everyone's calling records and is now using it to destroy the press' ability to perform public oversight of the government.
One of the exact reasons we have a free press is to prevent government abuses LIKE THESE from occurring by exposing them to the light of day.
The fact that most people roll over and scratch their butts when they hear this stuff scares me.
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