McConnell Noncommittal on Senate Surveillance BillAdm. Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence, isn’t saying straight out whether or not he supports the Senate intelligence committee’s surveillance bill. While it might seem as if the bill — the text of which is still unavailable — gives McConnell even more latitude to conduct surveillance than his cherished Protect America Act does, McConnell is playing it close to the vest.
“Our FISA team will look closely at the wording of the bill to make sure it does not have unintended consequences,” says McConnell spokesman Ross Feinstein. “We will continue to work on a bipartisan basis to make sure any FISA modernization bill meets the requirements that the [director of national intelligence] has set.”
The Washington Post reported yesterday that McConnell was on board with the bill. But it looks like the DNI is wary of committing himself to anything yet. The last time McConnell indicated his approval of a congressional surveillance measure, after all, it didn’t turn out so well.