>> The fact that the phone spying case was even accepted by the Supreme Court should be enough to confirm that the law wasn't clear. That's not actually the wa

>> The fact that the phone spying case was even accepted by the Supreme Court should be enough to confirm that the law wasn't clear. That's not actually the way legality works. If the law is unclear, the justice department will provide their interpretation (which will typically give more power to the government). If you disagree with the interpretation and are affected by it, you are free to challenge it in a court of law which will clarify. Or you can lobby lawmakers to change the law. This is different from how for instance organizational guidelines work in private industry - in case of ambiguity, you will ask for a clarification from the author. That option is basically not available because laws are made by the legislature which is a body distinct from the executive.