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| Rand Paul begins Senate 'filibuster' in bid to end NSA spying – live | Rand Paul begins Senate 'filibuster' in bid to end NSA spying – live |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| 2.59pm ET19:59 | |
| The Guardian’s Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) reports on a justice department memo laying out the “effect of a Patriot Act sunset,” should McConnell fail to procure an extension by 1 June. | |
| “As legislative shadowboxing continued ahead of this week’s Senate votes on surveillance, the Obama administration, which favors the USA Freedom Act, sent word to Capitol Hill that it has barely 24 hours to resolve the impasse before it begins mothballing its controversial domestic bulk phone data collection,” Spencer writes: | |
| A memo sent Wednesday by the administration warned that the National Security Agency could find itself in legal jeopardy if it continued surveillance on Americans’ phone data after Thursday – what the Justice Department described as a prudential matter ahead of the looming expiration of the base legal authority for the program. | |
| “After May 22, 2015, the National Security Agency will need to begin taking steps to wind down the bulk telephone metadata program in anticipation of a possible sunset in order to ensure that it does not engage in any unauthorized collection or use of the metadata,” states the memo, circulated on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and first reported by National Journal. The Guardian independently obtained a copy. | |
| While the claimed legal authority for the program, Section 215 of the Patriot Act, expires on 1 June, the memo notes that the next 90-day order from a secret surveillance court necessary to gather the bulk data must be filed by Friday – after the House of Representatives, which has already voted overwhelmingly to stop the program, is in recess. | |
| “For these reasons, after May 22, 2015, it will become increasingly difficult for the government to avoid a lapse in the current NSA program of at least some duration,” the memo states. | |
| 2.51pm ET19:51 | |
| Orthopedic shoes: $59.95 | |
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| Drudge headline: priceless | |
| pic.twitter.com/L1Enygi8yu | |
| 2.41pm ET19:41 | |
| “We should be in rebellion saying ‘enough’s enough, we’re not going to take it anymore,” Paul says on the Senate floor. | |
| Do we want to live in a world where the government knows everything about us? ... The danger is too great to let government collect your information. | |
| 2.38pm ET19:38 | |
| Rand Paul has produced an exceptionally low-quality presidential campaign ad-slash-explanation for why he has taken the Senate floor this afternoon. | |
| “I won’t stand for the Senate to shove us aside and not let us debate this important issue,” he says. | |
| Exclusive VIDEO from a couple of hours ago about the filibuster>>> https://t.co/LZ9OnHy14c #standwithrand | |
| 2.33pm ET19:33 | |
| Before Paul decided to take up an unknown proportion of the hours remaining for the Senate to do business before Memorial Day, majority leader Mitch McConnell’s strategy for extending the Patriot Act or otherwise preserving laws meant to support government surveillance was unclear. | |
| McConnell on Tuesday said he would hold a vote on the USA Freedom Act, which would eliminate a dragnet phone records database held by intelligence agencies, distributing the data among telecoms and tech companies. The Freedom Act passed the House of Representatives last week with a vote of 338-88. | |
| In addition to running down the clock on a potential Patriot Act extension, Paul appears to be delaying vote on the USA Freedom Act, too, writes Trevor Timm (@trevortimm): “He voted against it last time, calling it a stealth reauthorization; he probably wants to delay a vote on either until [Patriot Act section] 215 officially expires.” | |
| Updated at 2.43pm ET | |
| 2.21pm ET19:21 | 2.21pm ET19:21 |
| Paul tweets links to his campaign web site, which is hosting a petition to “end NSA spying.” | Paul tweets links to his campaign web site, which is hosting a petition to “end NSA spying.” |
| The current legislative showdown over government surveillance comes at a favorable time for Paul, who six weeks after declaring his presidential candidacy is looking for ways to distinguish himself from a crowded field of Republican hopefuls. On the question of government surveillance, Paul is an unmistakable standout, with potential opponents in recent weeks delivering full-throated defenses of NSA surveillance programs. | The current legislative showdown over government surveillance comes at a favorable time for Paul, who six weeks after declaring his presidential candidacy is looking for ways to distinguish himself from a crowded field of Republican hopefuls. On the question of government surveillance, Paul is an unmistakable standout, with potential opponents in recent weeks delivering full-throated defenses of NSA surveillance programs. |
| “All these fears are exaggerated and ridiculous,” New Jersey governor Chris Christie said on Monday of concerns about privacy abuses. “There is not a single documented case of abuse of this program,” Florida Senator Marco Rubio wrote in USA Today last week. “The debate has gotten off track,” former Florida governor Jeb Bush said earlier this year. | “All these fears are exaggerated and ridiculous,” New Jersey governor Chris Christie said on Monday of concerns about privacy abuses. “There is not a single documented case of abuse of this program,” Florida Senator Marco Rubio wrote in USA Today last week. “The debate has gotten off track,” former Florida governor Jeb Bush said earlier this year. |
| Paul has taken a polar opposite stance. | Paul has taken a polar opposite stance. |
| #standwithrand at http://t.co/lpzLQCfz0F pic.twitter.com/QuHrLpGPo3 | #standwithrand at http://t.co/lpzLQCfz0F pic.twitter.com/QuHrLpGPo3 |
| I see no reason why you can’t have security and the constitution at the same time. We cannot let our fear win. | I see no reason why you can’t have security and the constitution at the same time. We cannot let our fear win. |
| 2.17pm ET19:17 | 2.17pm ET19:17 |
| “The collection of records that is going on is beyond your imagination. And we need to know about it. It’s time for a national debate. | “The collection of records that is going on is beyond your imagination. And we need to know about it. It’s time for a national debate. |
| “The fact that the director of national intelligence would come to Congress and lie... this is a big problem.” | “The fact that the director of national intelligence would come to Congress and lie... this is a big problem.” |
| Paul says that Congress is out of step with public opinion on the question of dragnet phone records surveillance. | Paul says that Congress is out of step with public opinion on the question of dragnet phone records surveillance. |
| “I be that 20% of the people here would vote to stop this. Whereas 50-60% of the public would stop these things. It’s not representatives. | “I be that 20% of the people here would vote to stop this. Whereas 50-60% of the public would stop these things. It’s not representatives. |
| “[Lawmakers] get up here, and we stay too long, and we get separated from the people. The people don’t want bulk collection. And we need to hear that.” | “[Lawmakers] get up here, and we stay too long, and we get separated from the people. The people don’t want bulk collection. And we need to hear that.” |
| 2.15pm ET19:15 | 2.15pm ET19:15 |
| A long and leisurely Memorial Day weekend lies just ahead. Or at least it did. | A long and leisurely Memorial Day weekend lies just ahead. Or at least it did. |
| Paul tells donors that he’s ready to filibuster PATRIOT Act even if it ruins his colleagues’ weekend pic.twitter.com/ExTBuK4Y5j | Paul tells donors that he’s ready to filibuster PATRIOT Act even if it ruins his colleagues’ weekend pic.twitter.com/ExTBuK4Y5j |
| 2.12pm ET19:12 | 2.12pm ET19:12 |
| Rand Paul: 'clock management' | Rand Paul: 'clock management' |
| The Guardian’s Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) writes that “Rand Paul’s gambit on the Senate floor right now is familiar to anyone who’s been watching the NBA playoffs: clock management”: | The Guardian’s Spencer Ackerman (@attackerman) writes that “Rand Paul’s gambit on the Senate floor right now is familiar to anyone who’s been watching the NBA playoffs: clock management”: |
| Paul, the privacy hawk and GOP presidential candidate, wants the wholesale expiration of Section 215 of the 2001 Patriot Act, the controversial surveillance provision that the NSA uses to justify the ongoing bulk collection of Americans’ phone records. (A federal appeals court earlier this month ruled that the provision does not in fact authorize the NSA program.) If absolutely nothing happens, the whole Patriot Act provision expires on 1 June 1. | Paul, the privacy hawk and GOP presidential candidate, wants the wholesale expiration of Section 215 of the 2001 Patriot Act, the controversial surveillance provision that the NSA uses to justify the ongoing bulk collection of Americans’ phone records. (A federal appeals court earlier this month ruled that the provision does not in fact authorize the NSA program.) If absolutely nothing happens, the whole Patriot Act provision expires on 1 June 1. |
| Functionally, however, the clock is even more severe than that. After Thursday at mid-day, lawmakers in the House of Representatives – who last week voted overwhelmingly to junk the bulk phone metadata collection – leave for a vacation through 1 June. | Functionally, however, the clock is even more severe than that. After Thursday at mid-day, lawmakers in the House of Representatives – who last week voted overwhelmingly to junk the bulk phone metadata collection – leave for a vacation through 1 June. |
| Paul’s opposite on the surveillance debate and fellow Kentucky Senator, GOP leader Mitch McConnell, is trying to pass a wholesale reauthorization of Section 215. He may or may not have the votes for it in the Senate, and he has to get it through the House. A coalition of surveillance reformers are trying to pass an end to the bulk phone records collection, called the USA Freedom Act, that would re-up Section 215 for four more years. They may or may not have the votes for it in the Senate. | Paul’s opposite on the surveillance debate and fellow Kentucky Senator, GOP leader Mitch McConnell, is trying to pass a wholesale reauthorization of Section 215. He may or may not have the votes for it in the Senate, and he has to get it through the House. A coalition of surveillance reformers are trying to pass an end to the bulk phone records collection, called the USA Freedom Act, that would re-up Section 215 for four more years. They may or may not have the votes for it in the Senate. |
| But instead, here’s Rand Paul, on the court, dribbling the ball where he stands, as the game clock winds down. All Paul needs to do to win is keep talking, and perhaps to get some like-minded Senators to relieve him when he tires or needs to use the bathroom. He doesn’t even necessarily have to keep talking all through the next day. He just needs to talk for as long as he can, thereby snarling the rest of the Senate calendar and leaving that much less time for any surveillance measure to wind its way through the Senate – when, perhaps, an outright filibuster by Paul or others could begin as well. | But instead, here’s Rand Paul, on the court, dribbling the ball where he stands, as the game clock winds down. All Paul needs to do to win is keep talking, and perhaps to get some like-minded Senators to relieve him when he tires or needs to use the bathroom. He doesn’t even necessarily have to keep talking all through the next day. He just needs to talk for as long as he can, thereby snarling the rest of the Senate calendar and leaving that much less time for any surveillance measure to wind its way through the Senate – when, perhaps, an outright filibuster by Paul or others could begin as well. |
| Paul has been here before: his 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA became a reputation-making disquisition on the downsides of drone strikes and endless war. Then, however, Brennan’s confirmation was assured, since the votes to entrench him in Langley awaited once Paul sat down. This time, Paul is making the clock work for him. | Paul has been here before: his 13-hour filibuster of John Brennan’s nomination to head the CIA became a reputation-making disquisition on the downsides of drone strikes and endless war. Then, however, Brennan’s confirmation was assured, since the votes to entrench him in Langley awaited once Paul sat down. This time, Paul is making the clock work for him. |
| 2.07pm ET19:07 | 2.07pm ET19:07 |
| The first rollback of US government surveillance in a generation may be looming, but Senator Rand Paul has taken the floor of the US Senate to, he says, “begin a filibuster of the Patriot Act renewal”. This could be epic – or at least set the tone for a final showdown over spy reform after the Edward Snowden disclosures that could satisfy the likes of Paul … or not so much. | The first rollback of US government surveillance in a generation may be looming, but Senator Rand Paul has taken the floor of the US Senate to, he says, “begin a filibuster of the Patriot Act renewal”. This could be epic – or at least set the tone for a final showdown over spy reform after the Edward Snowden disclosures that could satisfy the likes of Paul … or not so much. |
| The Patriot Act renewal is not actually on the Senate floor at the moment; Paul – a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination and a longtime surveillance critic – is not technically filibustering the renewal of that law. But with key provisions of the Patriot Act set to expire on 1 June, this speech might be seen as a run-out-the-clock strategy to snarl the Senate and give majority leader Mitch McConnell a minimum of time to pass any surveillance-related bill. | The Patriot Act renewal is not actually on the Senate floor at the moment; Paul – a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination and a longtime surveillance critic – is not technically filibustering the renewal of that law. But with key provisions of the Patriot Act set to expire on 1 June, this speech might be seen as a run-out-the-clock strategy to snarl the Senate and give majority leader Mitch McConnell a minimum of time to pass any surveillance-related bill. |
| Paul appears prepared to speak for quite some time. For days he has filled his speeches and Twitter feed with breathless language forecasting a showdown with “the surveillance state.” “I’ve thrown down my marker,” Paul tweeted Monday. “I’m prepared to fight tooth & nail to END NSA spying on Americans.” | Paul appears prepared to speak for quite some time. For days he has filled his speeches and Twitter feed with breathless language forecasting a showdown with “the surveillance state.” “I’ve thrown down my marker,” Paul tweeted Monday. “I’m prepared to fight tooth & nail to END NSA spying on Americans.” |
| I've just taken the senate floor to begin a filibuster of the Patriot Act renewal. It's time to end the NSA spying! | I've just taken the senate floor to begin a filibuster of the Patriot Act renewal. It's time to end the NSA spying! |
| “We shouldn’t be so fearful that we’re willing to relinquish our rights without having a debate,” Paul said at the start of his speech, criticizing the Senate leadership for trying to skip debate on the Patriot Act extension. | “We shouldn’t be so fearful that we’re willing to relinquish our rights without having a debate,” Paul said at the start of his speech, criticizing the Senate leadership for trying to skip debate on the Patriot Act extension. |
| The Patriot Act, I’m not sure… that we’ll have any debate over it,” Paul said. “It’s been set to expire for three years. The question is, is there not enough time that we just don’t care enough?” | The Patriot Act, I’m not sure… that we’ll have any debate over it,” Paul said. “It’s been set to expire for three years. The question is, is there not enough time that we just don’t care enough?” |
| Settle in, because it could be a long day of political theatrics. We’ll also have live updates on the state of the reform vote from inside the Congressional chamber and analysis from across the web. | Settle in, because it could be a long day of political theatrics. We’ll also have live updates on the state of the reform vote from inside the Congressional chamber and analysis from across the web. |
| Updated at 2.13pm ET | Updated at 2.13pm ET |