Warrantless surveillance 'inconsistent with law,' report says

0 Comments | USA TODAY, January, 2006 | by John Diamond

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration probably should have informed the members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees of its warrantless surveillance program initiated after the Sept. 11 attacks, not merely a handful of congressional leaders, according to a report Wednesday by a research arm of Congress.

The report by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) said that the Bush administration's decision to limit briefings on the electronic surveillance to eight senior lawmakers "would appear to be inconsistent with the law, which requires that 'congressional intelligence committees be kept fully and currently informed of all intelligence activities.'"

The program was approved by President Bush. It involved intercepting international calls, with...