Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and independent Senator Angus King (I-Maine). who caucuses with Democrats, voted to approve a major defense spending bill that includes a a reauthorization and expansion of a controversial surveillance program that has been used to spy on U.S. citizens.
“It is disappointing to see both of our U.S. Senators continue their long records of disrespect for the civil liberties of the American people,” said Maine State Sen. Eric Brakey (R-Androscoggin), speaking to the Maine Wire.
The expansion of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was included in a standard National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and would allow the government to continue the surveillance program.
Although the program is nominally aimed at foreign adversaries and non-state actors, the FISDA program has enabled spying on domestic targets, including members of former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“One of the biggest things we’re concerned about here is that on literally hundreds of thousands of occasions innocent, law-abiding Americans have been subjected to what we call a back-door warrantless search,” said U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)
The government has reported over 278,000 illegal uses of FISA by the FBI.
“Section 702 has been routinely abused in ways that violate Americans’ fundamental civil liberties and civil rights,” said a letter signed by 33 organizations, including both liberal and conservative groups.
A vote was held to remove the FISA extension from the NDAA, but it was defeated 65-35.
Sen. Collins and Sen. King voted not to remove the surveillance authority from the NDAA.
The vote was not split along party lines, with Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and multiple Democrats voting with conservative Sens. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and Lee against the FISA extension.
The NDAA Bill passed through the House on Thursday with a vote of 310-118.
Both of Maine’s U.S. Reps. Jared Golden (CD-2) and Chellie Pingree (CD-1) voted to pass the NDAA.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Kansas) expressed his concerns with the extension of FISA on X.
“The government will use the broadest possible interpretation of its surveillance authorities to spy on Americans,” said Wyden
The expansion of section 702 of FISA would allow the government to collect private information over public Wi-Fi, where before they needed to go through a phone or email provider.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) supported the bill, which also provides additional aid to Ukraine, despite his resolution earlier this week to prevent further spending on Ukraine unless Democrats first provided for border reform.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="23888 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=23888">12 Comments
Of Course that did. They haven’t hidden their dislike of Trump. King should just claim his democrat status..and Collins is Rino extraordinaire. This state will forever be blue..
You forgot ….That ILLEGALLY Ensnared Trump’s Campaign….
Did you know that Trump is Putin’s choice for his VP in 2024?
…would someone PLEASE primary Collins in ’26!? Billy Bob? She is way past her pinky promise of just 2 terms! They plug into the government tit and can’t seem to let go.
This is what an oppressive government does.
In the big picture this is bad but shortly when the adults retake government and the f bee aye and dolt of justice is realigned this program will be used to prosecute and jail the traders from this administration. After all the rats are caught congresses can pass a bill making it illegal for warrant-less FISA. By then the dims should be fully onboard.
The divide is no longer between left vs. right (or democrat vs. republican). Those days are over! It’s between centralized authoritarian power vs. decentralized freedom and trust in responsible citizenry. The government creates far more problems than it solves; and our federal government is bankrupting us. As I have said often: The government is not your friend and does not protect you. It has reached the stage where it is a huge hungry behemoth that takes more and more, leaving us with less and less. It’s no accident that the richest area of the country is Washington, DC. This will only end when the majority of the citizens vote to prevent it–before voting becomes a ridiculous endeavor. (Here’s a cheer for Javier Milei in Argentina! Cut the beast back with a chain saw!).
RickyTickySavvy Ive been saying this for awile. We need to find better alternatives to these clowns. Maybe Maine Wire can start researching, and asking around for better suited reps that we all can start spreading the good word on?
For instance, John Connor who lost to Sheline in Lewiston mayoral race by mere 120+/- something-hand-counted-run-off-votes…! Might be a good place to start. He seems to be an extraordinary person.
They had to vote for it in order to get their large campaign donations from the military industrial complex instead of just from us, the small doners! These people do NOT have “we the people” in their minds when voting, they have “they the politicians” and oligarchs in mind!
Maine’s senators suck ballls.
The Republican party has a “Susan Collins” problem. Not a discernible principled bone in her body. Holds wet finger to the wind to decide which way to vote on every issue.
Maine can do better than this I think.
Collins is a phony.
Look at her web site.
All she talks about is getting taxpayer money from other states (fed)
She completely avoids serious issues.
Do you think after she leaves the Senate she will stay in Maine? No.
She has a small house here to keep her seat. Her real home is her mansion in DC
King is a phony.
He showed up to a talk in S. Ptld in a sweater with holes in it so he could play his downhome bulloney.
Carpetbagger.