Were the Feds Trying to Spy on Doc Hastings?
Last year, Barack Obama won over civil libertarians by dissing George Bush's executive power and domestic spying policies. Then he went and supported pretty much the same policies himself. One of those policies is the National Security Administration's surveillance of American communications; basically, they listen to our phone calls and read our e-mails.
Apparently, they don't limit their inquiries to just everyday folks. In reporting on how the NSA hasn't been following the very lenient rules it was given, the New York Times notes that the agency sought to wiretap--without a warrant--a "congressman" who went on a trip to the Middle East in 2005 or 2006, apparently believing that he would be in communication with someone who might have terrorist ties.
Spencer Ackerman at the blog FireDogLake compiled a list of male members of Congress who went on such trips. It appears that everyone in Washington's delegation is safe--Maria Cantwell went to Iraq in 2005, but she's a woman--except for Doc Hastings.
If it is Hastings, he's probably cool with it, as he voted for warrantless wiretapping without civil oversight.
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