Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind), Trump's pick to succeed James Clapper as director of national intelligence. (Photo: Jason Reed/Reuters)
Jan 08, 2017
Colleagues of former Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., describe the septuagenarian as competent and congenial -- the "Mister Rogers" of Republicans, as Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., said -- but his positions on issues including NSA surveillance, Edward Snowden, torture, and Guantanamo Bay are bound to spark arguments with civil libertarians as Congress debates his nomination today by President-elect Donald Trump to succeed James Clapper as director of national intelligence.
In 2013, just one week after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden came forward as the source of documents revealing the global extent of the NSA's mammoth surveillance regime, Coats penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal lambasting the disclosures and the ensuing media coverage.
"Unfortunately, the Obama administration -- especially of late -- has fueled people's distrust of government, which has made the reaction to Mr. Snowden's leak far worse," he wrote, pleading with his colleagues in Congress to stop "mischaracterizing" the surveillance programs Snowden exposed.
Coats said the NSA's programs, including its bulk collection of American telephone records, were "legal, constitutional and used under the strict oversight of all three branches of government" -- though courts later disagreed, and Congress amended the law to end the American records collection program, as Snowden pointed out on Twitter on Thursday.
While Coats professed his belief in defending privacy and national security in tandem, he focused his efforts on making sure the deep national security state escaped unscathed -- losing none of its powers to engage in mass spying. He pushed for counterintelligence policies that would root out leakers like Snowden in the future.
Read the rest at The Intercept.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Jenna Mclaughlin, The Intercept
Jenna McLaughlin is a reporter and blogger covering surveillance and national security for The Intercept.
Colleagues of former Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., describe the septuagenarian as competent and congenial -- the "Mister Rogers" of Republicans, as Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., said -- but his positions on issues including NSA surveillance, Edward Snowden, torture, and Guantanamo Bay are bound to spark arguments with civil libertarians as Congress debates his nomination today by President-elect Donald Trump to succeed James Clapper as director of national intelligence.
In 2013, just one week after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden came forward as the source of documents revealing the global extent of the NSA's mammoth surveillance regime, Coats penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal lambasting the disclosures and the ensuing media coverage.
"Unfortunately, the Obama administration -- especially of late -- has fueled people's distrust of government, which has made the reaction to Mr. Snowden's leak far worse," he wrote, pleading with his colleagues in Congress to stop "mischaracterizing" the surveillance programs Snowden exposed.
Coats said the NSA's programs, including its bulk collection of American telephone records, were "legal, constitutional and used under the strict oversight of all three branches of government" -- though courts later disagreed, and Congress amended the law to end the American records collection program, as Snowden pointed out on Twitter on Thursday.
While Coats professed his belief in defending privacy and national security in tandem, he focused his efforts on making sure the deep national security state escaped unscathed -- losing none of its powers to engage in mass spying. He pushed for counterintelligence policies that would root out leakers like Snowden in the future.
Read the rest at The Intercept.
Jenna Mclaughlin, The Intercept
Jenna McLaughlin is a reporter and blogger covering surveillance and national security for The Intercept.
Colleagues of former Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., describe the septuagenarian as competent and congenial -- the "Mister Rogers" of Republicans, as Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., said -- but his positions on issues including NSA surveillance, Edward Snowden, torture, and Guantanamo Bay are bound to spark arguments with civil libertarians as Congress debates his nomination today by President-elect Donald Trump to succeed James Clapper as director of national intelligence.
In 2013, just one week after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden came forward as the source of documents revealing the global extent of the NSA's mammoth surveillance regime, Coats penned an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal lambasting the disclosures and the ensuing media coverage.
"Unfortunately, the Obama administration -- especially of late -- has fueled people's distrust of government, which has made the reaction to Mr. Snowden's leak far worse," he wrote, pleading with his colleagues in Congress to stop "mischaracterizing" the surveillance programs Snowden exposed.
Coats said the NSA's programs, including its bulk collection of American telephone records, were "legal, constitutional and used under the strict oversight of all three branches of government" -- though courts later disagreed, and Congress amended the law to end the American records collection program, as Snowden pointed out on Twitter on Thursday.
While Coats professed his belief in defending privacy and national security in tandem, he focused his efforts on making sure the deep national security state escaped unscathed -- losing none of its powers to engage in mass spying. He pushed for counterintelligence policies that would root out leakers like Snowden in the future.
Read the rest at The Intercept.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.