FBI director Chris Wray insists controversial spy tool FISA keeps Americans ... trends now
FBI Director Christopher Wray sent a chilling warning on what could happen if FISA's Section 702 lapses in a hearing on Thursday, just as Republicans debate how to move forward on reauthorizing the controversial spy tool.
'Section 702 is indispensable in keeping Americans safe from a whole barrage of fast moving foreign threats,' Wray insisted.
FISA's Section 702 is set to expire on April 19, after which the intelligence community will not be allowed go 'blind' to conversations of suspected terrorists abroad whenever they are communicating with a U.S. citizen on American soil.
'It is crucial to identifying terrorists in the homeland, working with or inspired by a rogue's gallery of foreign terrorist organization and who have publicly called for attacks against our country. It helps us find out who these terrorists are working with ... and what we need to stop them before they kill Americans.'
'Section 702 is indispensable in keeping Americans safe from a whole barrage of fast moving foreign threats,' Wray insisted.
FISA Section 702 has been credited for helping intelligence officers thwart terror attacks on U.S. soil, but has also been prone to abuse with spying on U.S. citizens.
'So if Congress lets 702 lapse, which it's set to do now, next week, it will massively increase the risk of missing crucial intelligence during a time of heightened national security threats across a whole multiple of fronts,' Wray said.
'If we're blinded from seeing what our adversaries are, who they're working with, I can tell you that's going to most definitely have consequences for our ability to protect the American people, because I can assure that none of our adversaries are tying their own hands. So now is not the time for us to hang up our gloves.'
Wray was on Capitol Hill testifying for his $11.6 billion budget request to run the FBI in 2025 before the Appropriations Committee.
A FISA reauthorization bill with new guardrails for transparency failed to advance on the House floor Wednesday after hardliner conservative revolt. It's expected to come up again on Friday.
'KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!! DJT' former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Wednesday morning ahead of the vote.
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