Misinformation on classified NSA programs includes statements by senior U.S. officials

NSA : le patron du renseignement américain reconnaît avoir dupé le Sénat | Sous surveillance
▻http://www.lapresse.ca/international/dossiers/sous-surveillance/201307/03/01-4667288-nsa-le-patron-du-renseignement-americain-reconnait-avoir-dupe-le

« Ma réponse était donc clairement erronée et je m’en excuse », écrit James Clapper dans son courrier adressé le 21 juin à la présidente de la commission du Renseignement du Sénat, Diane Feinstein.

Le DNI avait déjà reconnu son « erreur » en privé devant un collaborateur du sénateur démocrate Ron Wyden, l’élu qui avait posé la question lors de cette audition, mais avait refusé de le faire en public.

« Je peux maintenant faire cette correction publiquement parce que l’existence du programme de collecte des métadonnées a été déclassifiée », se défend M. Clapper.

Le sénateur Wyden est lui « profondément troublé par le nombre de communications erronées faites par de hauts responsables à propos de la surveillance intérieure ces dernières années », a affirmé à l’AFP son porte-parole Tom Caiazza.

Lawmakers say administration’s lack of candor on surveillance weakens oversight - The Washington Post
▻http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/lawmakers-say-administrations-lack-of-candor-on-surveillance-weakens-oversight/2013/07/10/8275d8c8-e97a-11e2-aa9f-c03a72e2d342_print.html

“If the administration has a policy to lie to Congress about classified materials in unclassified hearings, then you have to ask yourself what value the hearings have and whether or not anyone else is doing it,” said Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.).

#couverture #démocratie_formelle #farce

Twitter / ggreenwald : How is this not a huge scandal? ...
▻https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/355287505622405120

How is this not a huge scandal? NSA docs show serial lying to Congress by top Obama officials

Wyden: Declassified Documents Show How Inaccurate Statements Have Misled Congress | Press Releases | U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
▻http://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-declassified-documents-show-how-inaccurate-statements-have-misle

“The newly declassified briefing documents released today show that the executive branch repeatedly made inaccurate statements to Congress about the value and effectiveness of the bulk email records collection program that was carried out under the USA PATRIOT Act until 2011. These statements had the effect of misleading members of Congress about the usefulness of this program.  

 The briefing documents that were provided to Congress in December 2009 and February 2011 clearly stated that both the bulk email records and bulk phone records collection programs were “unique in that they can produce intelligence not otherwise available to NSA.” The 2009 briefing document went on to state that the two programs “provide a vital capability to the Intelligence Community,” and the 2011 briefing document stated that they provided “an important capability.” 

(...)

... I continue to be skeptical of claims that the ongoing bulk phone records collection program provides the government with any unique value, as I have not yet seen any evidence to support this claim. 

 While I believe that releasing these documents is a welcome step toward greater openness and more informed debate about domestic surveillance programs, they are, in fact, further evidence of a pattern of misleading statements to Congress on this topic. Similarly misleading statements about the bulk email records program were also made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, though these statements unfortunately remain classified.”