Nunes memo centers on a 40-year-old law written to prevent surveillance abuses

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By Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post

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Now, the House Intelligence Committee's Republican leadership, which plans to release the memo, suggests a politicized FBI and Justice Department abused the law to put surveillance on a former Trump campaign aide to advance an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

"It's possible, but not likely," said Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the liberty and national security program at the Brennan Center for Justice. "The warrant was obtained under the part of FISA that is least susceptible to abuse."

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Goitein, a former aide to former senator Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), said the disclosure provision exists for good reason. "Congress needs to be able to bring information to public light when the executive branch is improperly trying to conceal it."

But, she said, "if the goal here were to make sure the American public was aware of the facts surrounding this FISA application, then the Republicans would have voted to release the Democratic memo as well."

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nunes-memo-centers-on-a-40-year-old-law-written-to-prevent-surveillance-abuses/2018/02/01/81ab8b84-0768-11e8-94e8-e8b8600ade23_story.html?utm_term=.0c22701d6832