Last March, I wrote about revelations that the CIA was spying on the U.S. Senate. At the time, CIA head John Brennan denied the allegation and heaped scorn on the very idea. Now, Brennan has admitted that, well yes, they may have done that after all.
The Senate, of course, is beside itself with outrage. What was all part of keeping us safe when it was done to citizens at large, is suddenly a crime of the very worst sort. Senators, The New York Times, and others have called for Brennan’s head. I’m fine with someone finally paying a price for the wholesale violations of the Fourth Amendment but I do wish more than a handful of Senators would have been outraged before it became clear that they, too, were victims.
Sadly, it’s hard, at this point, to hold much hope that those responsible for these crimes will ever be held to account. The Senate will make sure that they regain their immunity, perhaps even throwing Brennan overboard, but will be only too happy for the rest of us to have our private digital information looted in a systematic and comprehensive manner.