The FBI on Monday used the solar eclipse as a reason to issue a heightened security warning about terrorism.
But Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed the FBI for playing on people’s fears in order to justify the continuation of the controversial federal law that allows agents to spy on Americans without a warrant.
The FBI appeared to be in sync with both the eclipse and the upcoming renewal vote on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
“As the skies darkened during the solar eclipse, law enforcement agencies across the United States were on the alert for a terror attack on any of the thousands of mass gatherings along the path of totality,” Inside Edition reported on Monday.
“In the wake of the deadly attack by ISIS on a concert venue in Moscow, the FBI and [the Department of] Homeland Security issued a bulletin to local authorities warning that the terrorists ‘shared graphic and violent attack footage calling for similar attacks in the United States.’”
But as the Daily Mail noted, the warning came as the House prepares to renew the controversial FISa provision that allows the feds to monitor foreign nationals who have suspected terror connections who are not on U.S. soil, even if they are in contact with a U.S. citizen in America.
The House Rules Committee is expected to advance a version of a renewal measure on Tuesday. The bill would extend the program while incorporating changes that are designed to improve oversight and agents’ training and boost transparency.
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The debate could lead to a secondary discussion of whether the FBI should be banned from buying users’ data from internet service providers as a way to get around the Constitution, the Daily Mail reported.
A report released last May noted that the FBI abused Section 702 more than 278,000 times, leading conservatives to demand that the provision be reformed or gutted altogether.
On X on Monday, Greene lashed out at the FBI for what she saw as an attempt to scare lawmakers into not making changes to Section 702.
“The FBI is saying a terrorist attack is imminent. OF COURSE A TERRORIST ATTACK IS IMMINENT BECAUSE THEY KEEP THE BORDER WIDE OPEN AND MILLIONS HAVE INVADED!” she posted.
“Do you want to know why this is the messaging right now? Because FISA is up for reauthorization, and they need maximum pressure on Congress to vote to reauthorize FISA – which the FBI unconstitutionally used to spy on hundreds of millions of Americans.”
“If they really cared about terrorism in America they would SHUT THE BORDER AND MASS DEPORT,” Greene added. “But they don’t. They care about controlling YOU.”
“My eyes are wide open. None of the stupid tricks fool me anymore,” she concluded.
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