Senator Rand Paul hits NSA with Class Action Suit
Like him or not, Sen. Rand Paul is an interesting guy. His latest move is libertarian activism writ large. He is suing the NSA over its bulk data collection programs. Why do I get the feeling Gen. Keith Alexander is out shopping for a bass boat right about now? I cannot think of a more important job that is less fun to do in the current environment. Except, perhaps for a grunt in Afghanistan carrying 120 lbs up and down the Hindu Kush.
Sen. Paul’s suit against the NSA is a class action and it will not help anyone at Ft. Meade sleep better any time soon.
The vocal critic of the NSA told the State of the Net Conference on Tuesday that the complaint has already been written and predicted that the challenge would likely reach to the Supreme Court.Paul has been working for months on the lawsuit against the NSA over its surveillance of Americans' phone and Internet records, which he plans to file as a private citizen. On Tuesday, he asked for the public to back the effort.
Paul is one of those pesky types who read the US Constitution and expect that it means what it actually says. And Amendment IV pretty clearly says that:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized....
There is much more here.
