WIRED -- A Top Democrat Is Urging Colleagues to Support Trump's Spy Machine -- Congressman Jim Himes claims

[ancianita]

a sweeping surveillance authority should stay intact because he hasn't seen abuses by Kash Patel's FBI, according to internal messaging obtained by WIRED -- by Dell Cameron

Himes’ letter goes on to say that “because of how Section 702 is structured, it is not an especially good vehicle for abuse.” But the program’s history is rife with abuse...

The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) voted this week to formally oppose reauthorization without reforms, binding its 98 members to vote no on a clean extension of the 702 program. In a statement, CPC chair Greg Casar said Democrats should not be “handing them massive surveillance powers they will abuse.”

Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Judiciary Committee member and longtime privacy advocate, warned that the Trump administration has already demonstrated a willingness to use surveillance tools against domestic political targets, citing the Justice Department’s apparent monitoring of lawmakers’ search histories during the review of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

Despite those warnings, congressional sources say Himes is currently seeking approval from Democratic leadership to cut a deal with Republicans to pass a clean reauthorization, asking for nothing in return.

"I think it's incredibly dumb for Democrats to give away leverage," one congressional staffer familiar with the negotiations said on the condition of anonymity. "Especially on a bill that is very controversial, given all the domestic spying by this administration.

https://www.wired.com/story/a-top-democrat-is-urging-colleagues-to-support-trumps-spy-machine/

https://archive.ph/yrbXh (this archive link also links to numerous other directly related articles)

Hard to understand why Himes makes this kind of appeal to the party over this important vote...

[David__77]

1. The Democrats can win by saying NO.

[ancianita]

2. Agree. Jayapal is right.

I still can't tell if Himes misses the politics of this by virtue of being a senior member of the intelligence committee.

[David__77]

3. I imagine there's BS arguments that the government shouldn't be "weakened" by eliminating this provision.

That is old bipartisan national security state thinking.

[ancianita]

4. Makes sense.

[TommyT139]

5. Then he should wait

...until Dems are in power, if he really thinks the tech won't be abused.

Personally, I am doubtful.

[Renew Deal]

7. It's not just tech

It's also legal process. There have been attempts to abuse it in the past.

[Renew Deal]

6. It depends on whether republicans have the votes

If they do, Democrats don't have much leverage. If they don't, Democrats have some. But of all the hills to do on, it's not this. They should pursue bipartisan reforms.