Udall Raises Concerns About Domestic Spying
WASHINGTON (CBS4) - Sen. Mark Udall says he has concerns about domestic surveillance going on in the country that might be far broader in scope than most people realize.
Udall, along with fellow Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, has been expressing concerns this year that national intelligence officials are interpreting the Patriot Act in a way that is different from the way citizens do.
This week a Senate committee killed legislation proposed by Udall and Wyden that would have pushed the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to clarify the reach of how they are operating under the Patriot Act.
According to a report on Wired.com, the two senators aren't revealing the specifics of what has got them so concerned, although business records seem to be one area where the snooping may be going too far. They wrote:
In our view, the executive branch's decision to conceal the U.S. government's official understanding of what this law means is unacceptable, and untenable in the long run. Intelligence agencies need to have the ability to conduct secret operations, but they should not be allowed to rely on secret laws.
