

CIA Admits to Hacking Senate Computers - ghosh
http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/cia-admits-it-improperly-hacking-senate-computers-20140731

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dredmorbius
A nation's intelligence apparatus spying on its legislature is straight-up,
full-on reign-of-terror status stuff.

First off, I'm not particularly happy that ordinary citizens, residents, and
visitors to the US (ALL of whom have constitutional protections against
illegal search) are subject to pervasive surveillance.

But the fact that it extends to lawmakers and other public officials[1]
outside the scope of officially sanctioned lawful investigations (which are
both allowable and sadly necessary) is absolutely terrifying. This takes
everything straight to reign-of-terror status.

You see, because of a few fundamental facts of life.

I expect my politicians are dirty. They're mixed up in all sorts of things
(sometimes it even comes out, see today's news on the former governor and
first lady of the Commonwealth of Virginia).

And particularly increasingly of late, I Don't Trust the Other Side. And I
rather suspect that The Other Side doesn't trust My Side (whom, quite frankly,
I don't much trust these days either, but in a battle of ever so slightly
lesser evils, liars, and incompetence, I've chosen to generally align myself).
Putting what appears to increasingly be an independent intelligence apparatus
answerable to neither the Courts, the Legislature, or even, I'm beginning to
suspect, the Executive, we're reaching a position in which an Organ of the
State has exceptionally deep knowledge of virtually all others, and not
inconsiderable powers to act or cause others to act on it.

The actions of the CIA strike me as treason. I feel it's well past the stage
of calling for metaphorical heads for actions such as this.

More:
[http://www.reddit.com/r/dredmorbius/comments/2cb6nf/a_nation...](http://www.reddit.com/r/dredmorbius/comments/2cb6nf/a_nations_intelligence_apparatus_spying_on_its/)

