Patrick Leahy’s Accountability Pledge on FBI Crimes, Not Fulfilled
On the morning of January 20 2010, Senator Patrick Leahy reacted to the Inspector General’s confirmation that the FBI had illegally obtained Americans’ phone records under false pretenses by telling stories about threats of terrorist attack that did not exist. His words:
Senator Patrick Leahy: This morning, the Inspector General released a report a few minutes ago detailing the misuse of exigent letters by the FBI to obtain information about U.S. persons. The report describes how the FBI used these exigent letters without proper authorization to collect thousands of phone records, including in circumstances where no exigent conditiions existed. The report also reports how the FBI compounded the misconduct by trying to issue National Security Letters after the fact.
This was not a matter of technical violation. The day was, with something like this, we’d have to answer to it. This was authorized at high levels within the FBI and continued for years. I understand, Director Mueller, the FBI has worked to correct these abuses, but this report is a sobering reminder of the significant abuse of this kind of authority.
No one is above the law: no Senator, and no member of the FBI. There has to be accountability for what happened here.
As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy is the single person on Capitol Hill most responsible for making someone “answer to it” and for creating “accountability for what happened here.” Senator Leahy is in control over the consideration of legislation in committee. Senator Leahy can call public hearings on the matter. Senator Leahy has subpoena power.
Two months later, there is no legislation on the matter. There have been no hearings on the matter. There are no hearings scheduled. After the senator’s stentorian words there has been no action.
