A Refresher: Warrantless Spying Was Blatantly Illegal

Conor Friedersdorf | The Atlantic | May 14, 2014

Frontline's new documentary about NSA spying is an important reminder of how Bush officials violated the Constitution.

The PBS program Frontline has produced an exceptional documentary on NSA spying, beginning with the September 11 attacks and continuing right up to today. The whole thing is worth watching.

The recent history it presents is shocking, even if, like me, you were already aware of it. Frightened by terrorism, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, David Addington, Michael Hayden, and others conspired to spy on U.S. citizens without a warrant. Doing so was felony behavior.

This refresher on their actions persuades me anew that they deserved, and deserve, to be prosecuted for their actions and imprisoned for an appropriate duration. As well, these men violated their oath to defend and protect the Constitution...