4 ms·

I'm pretty sure intercepting and screwing with mail is a felony... isn't that a felony? How exactly can the US Government have it's employees committing felonie

by mabbo 12y ago

I'm pretty sure intercepting and screwing with mail is a felony... isn't that a felony? How exactly can the US Government have it's employees committing felonies with no warrants or oversight?

ForHackernews 12y ago
There are likely secret warrants in FISA court.
- morcheeba 12y ago
  I used that line to explain to the police officer why I had been sticking raw fish in my neighbors mail. Luckily, he did not have the necessary security clearance to dispute my claim.
- AlyssaRowan 12y ago
  That doesn't really explain the US researchers infected with this.
  - teraflop 12y ago
    That's what the FISA court is for: to issue secret warrants for surveillance of US citizens' domestic communications.
    - mox1 12y ago
      FISA is for Foreigners outside of US soil. You literally are exactly incorrect.
      - maxerickson 12y ago
        No, it only applies on US soil. It's aimed at the communications of foreign powers that involve a person on US soil or somehow else take place on US soil.
      - etjossem 12y ago
        Not exactly - and that's why FISA is so controversial. The FISA Amendment Act permits the court to issue a warrant if either the sender or recipient is a non-US citizen abroad (since the "target" can be either party involved in the communication). Foreign nationals who are acquired abroad as FISA targets can later enter the US and remain subject to the warrant. And if there is uncertainty about the location or nationality of the target, the dispute is frequently resolved in favor of the surveillance agency. The ACLU has fought FISA since it was enacted, as they believe it creates a way to unconstitutionally surveil people in the United States.
      - teraflop 12y ago
        They can do that without a warrant, or at least they've been acting like it. The FISA court issues warrants to spy on US individuals if the NSA shows "probable cause" that they are "agents of a foreign power".
Cthulhu_ 12y ago
It is, in general, but for everything there's an exception if you're some kind of law enforcement. Killing people is a felony too , unless you're a police officer acting in self-defense, or if you're a judge that passed the death sentence.

by mabbo 12y ago

I'm pretty sure intercepting and screwing with mail is a felony... isn't that a felony? How exactly can the US Government have it's employees committing felonies with no warrants or oversight?

ForHackernews 12y ago

There are likely secret warrants in FISA court.

morcheeba 12y ago
I used that line to explain to the police officer why I had been sticking raw fish in my neighbors mail. Luckily, he did not have the necessary security clearance to dispute my claim.
AlyssaRowan 12y ago
That doesn't really explain the US researchers infected with this.
- teraflop 12y ago
  That's what the FISA court is for: to issue secret warrants for surveillance of US citizens' domestic communications.
  - mox1 12y ago
    FISA is for Foreigners outside of US soil. You literally are exactly incorrect.
    - maxerickson 12y ago
      No, it only applies on US soil. It's aimed at the communications of foreign powers that involve a person on US soil or somehow else take place on US soil.
    - etjossem 12y ago
      Not exactly - and that's why FISA is so controversial. The FISA Amendment Act permits the court to issue a warrant if either the sender or recipient is a non-US citizen abroad (since the "target" can be either party involved in the communication). Foreign nationals who are acquired abroad as FISA targets can later enter the US and remain subject to the warrant. And if there is uncertainty about the location or nationality of the target, the dispute is frequently resolved in favor of the surveillance agency. The ACLU has fought FISA since it was enacted, as they believe it creates a way to unconstitutionally surveil people in the United States.
    - teraflop 12y ago
      They can do that without a warrant, or at least they've been acting like it. The FISA court issues warrants to spy on US individuals if the NSA shows "probable cause" that they are "agents of a foreign power".

Cthulhu_ 12y ago

It is, in general, but for everything there's an exception if you're some kind of law enforcement. Killing people is a felony too , unless you're a police officer acting in self-defense, or if you're a judge that passed the death sentence.