PPSA Asks Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board About “Inherent Authority” to Surveil

In recent weeks, PPSA has joined other civil liberties organizations in asking the Department of Justice and intelligence agencies about the legal foundation for their surveillance now that Section 215 of the Patriot Act has expired.
 
In particular, we are concerned about claims from Sen. Richard Burr that the executive branch can take any surveillance action it deems necessary without Congressional approval under Executive Order 12333. This follows a long line of reasoning coming from the agencies going back to the George W. Bush administration that the government has an “inherent” surveillance authority.
 
With this in mind, PPSA today filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) asking to reveal guidance materials and communications regarding 12333.