It's too bad the article doesn't have a timeline of when such surveillance became possible, and when it became widespread. Without that context, it's hard to evaluate this - it could just be rabidly-partisan rubbish, or even part of an influence op, designed to confuse everyone, and muddle the issue.
It seems like Sharyl Attkisson, is not just writing about her case, but also reflects on the overall timelines of US law enforcements becoming warrantless spy agency
"...
Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion of protections when it came obtaining permission for wiretaps and other surveillance methods.
So, the election debacle came of no surprise. I saw it as an extension of years of improper manipulation.
It now appears to me as though the effort to target those surrounding Donald Trump had more to do with intel officials' concern that a President Trump might dig into these longstanding surveillance abuses with the help of none other than Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn.
It was no secret in the intel community that Flynn, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama, was not only aware of long-standing intel agency surveillance excesses, but was also planning to clean house.
In the end, Flynn was unable to do the job because he got wrapped up in the Trump-Russia allegations. Funny, that.
…"
By the way, I have heard before on one of Mark Levin shows, that Flynn was the guy that knew about the power abuses, and was going to do something about them -- in his new capacity. And that's why he was sabotaged so early (or perhaps his was an easy target too).
Also, I suspect, that a lot of this illegal abuse of power by FBI and DOJ, was political.
From what I understand (but cannot find reference now), that it was also used to silence opponents of Obama's Iran deal -- therefore, I suspect that discussion, subsequent finger pointing and revelations about this -- will, necessarily, going to be centering around political affiliations of the abusers.
