Army General Tapped to Lead NSA Claims He Doesn’t Know Much About Controversial Spying Powers.
In a shocking revelation, the Army general nominated to lead the National Security Agency (NSA) claimed that he doesn't know much about one of the agency's most controversial issues - backdoor searches on Americans.
Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd was asked repeatedly during his Senate confirmation hearing about how he would use the NSA's vast spying powers, but he kept his answers vague. When questioned about whether the NSA should participate in President Donald Trump's crackdown on antifa, Rudd dodged the question, saying that it was not within his current role.
However, Rudd did provide a near-identical answer to another question from Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who asked if he would reject requests from Trump to use NSA powers to target American citizens. Rudd stated that "if confirmed, I will execute my responsibilities in accordance with the Constitution and all applicable laws."
Critics say that Rudd's responses have given little insight into where he stands on these issues or reassurance that he won't turn the NSA's spying power against more Americans.
"It's OK to tell us and, actually, it would be helpful," said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) during the hearing, urging Rudd to be more open about his views.
The backdoor searches are among one of the most contentious issues surrounding NSA spying. Privacy advocates have long argued that those backdoor searches are a huge privacy violation, pointing to thousands of times the FBI has misused its authority.
"This is an issue I have limited familiarity within my current role with USINDOPACOM," Rudd said in a written questionnaire. "At this time, I defer to NSA leadership to fully characterize the existing efforts taking place under this authority."
The government's authority to conduct such searches expires in April. Rudd will face more direct questioning from senators on Tuesday as he appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
A spokesperson for Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who has long been a vocal critic of NSA spying, stated that "Sen. Wyden strongly believes the government should get a warrant before searching for and viewing Americans' communications."
In a shocking revelation, the Army general nominated to lead the National Security Agency (NSA) claimed that he doesn't know much about one of the agency's most controversial issues - backdoor searches on Americans.
Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd was asked repeatedly during his Senate confirmation hearing about how he would use the NSA's vast spying powers, but he kept his answers vague. When questioned about whether the NSA should participate in President Donald Trump's crackdown on antifa, Rudd dodged the question, saying that it was not within his current role.
However, Rudd did provide a near-identical answer to another question from Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who asked if he would reject requests from Trump to use NSA powers to target American citizens. Rudd stated that "if confirmed, I will execute my responsibilities in accordance with the Constitution and all applicable laws."
Critics say that Rudd's responses have given little insight into where he stands on these issues or reassurance that he won't turn the NSA's spying power against more Americans.
"It's OK to tell us and, actually, it would be helpful," said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) during the hearing, urging Rudd to be more open about his views.
The backdoor searches are among one of the most contentious issues surrounding NSA spying. Privacy advocates have long argued that those backdoor searches are a huge privacy violation, pointing to thousands of times the FBI has misused its authority.
"This is an issue I have limited familiarity within my current role with USINDOPACOM," Rudd said in a written questionnaire. "At this time, I defer to NSA leadership to fully characterize the existing efforts taking place under this authority."
The government's authority to conduct such searches expires in April. Rudd will face more direct questioning from senators on Tuesday as he appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
A spokesperson for Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who has long been a vocal critic of NSA spying, stated that "Sen. Wyden strongly believes the government should get a warrant before searching for and viewing Americans' communications."
. can't we just have some transparency here? it's like they're playing with fire and we don't even know how they're gonna put it out 
. backdoor searches are already super sketchy and now we gotta wonder if Rudd is gonna be the one handing out the warrantless surveillance 
. i guess only time will tell but for now, let's just say i'm low-key freaking out 
idk about backdoor searches tho - it sounds super sketchy to me. 
i need answers! 
. sen wicker's right, it's time for some transparency here! 
i hope Rudd gets schooled by the senators on Tuesday and can give us some real answers about their plans for the NSA 
an Army General leading the NSA without knowing much about their powers? 
it's like putting someone in charge of your house who doesn't know how to use the thermostat 
or where the kitchen is 
. Not cool, not safe. 
backdoor searches are a huge no-no 
. The government's authority to do these things expires in April, but will they really follow through on that? 
let's hope so... 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out and if senators can get him to open up about his views 
meanwhile, senator wyden is all about getting a warrant before searching ppl's comms - that makes so much more sense to me 