November 03, 2016

Wyden: FBI Leadership Failures Underscore Need for Independent Oversight, Limits on Government Surveillance

Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement, in response to ongoing, unchecked leaks at the FBI, and a pattern of poor judgement by FBI Director James Comey:

“The continued leadership failures at the FBI are another reminder we can’t let intelligence agencies say ‘trust us’ and then give them a blank check to probe into Americans’ lives,” Wyden said. “While I’ve argued for years that Congress must create ironclad protections for Americans’ security and privacy, we also need vigilant oversight of agencies that have the power to deprive citizens of their liberty or change the course of an election. It is clear the FBI would benefit from a strong, independent inspector general, and that moves to weaken independent watchdogs like the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board only embolden leaders at FBI and elsewhere who believe the rules don’t apply to them.”