When it comes to spying on Americans, the public need not worry about the National Security Agency (NSA) abusing its powers…at least that’s what NSA lawyers are saying as they fight a class action case over the agency’s use of the Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP), which was set up after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Those suing the NSA are telephone service customers who claim something needs to be done to check the government’s unlimited authority to monitor any person’s communications.

In addition to claiming it will only use the TSP when necessary, the NSA is refusing to turn over evidence related to what plaintiffs say is a warrantless “dragnet’ surveillance of U.S. citizens. It also wants U.S. District Judge Jeffery White to throw out the lawsuit. White is expected to issue a ruling on November 2.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Trust Us, NSA Tells Privacy Plaintiffs (by Philip Janquart, Courthouse News Service)

Carolyn Jewel v. National Security Agency (U.S. District Court, Northern California) (pdf)

High Court Let’s Telecoms Keep Immunity in NSA Spy Case (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Obama Administration Claims It Can’t Be Sued over Indiscriminate Wiretapping (by David Wallechinsky and Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)