NSA targeted Americans' domestic calls, tried to wiretap Representative

The National Security Administration significantly and systematically abused its warrantless wiretapping powers by targeting Americans, listening in on purely domestic conversations, even trying to wiretap a U.S. representative without a warrant, the Times reported this week.

The revelations largely come from an FBI agent who detailed "significant misconduct" in the program, including targeting Americans with insufficient suspicion that they were engaged in terrorism.

This just shows what many of us suspected: Domestic spying is a give-an-inch-take-a-mile proposition. The spy agencies will always say they are doing this under strict parameters. They will always abuse those parameters. It's just too tempting. And invariably oversight depends on the agencies coming forward - as they finally did here - with the proof of their own misbehavior. This is driven by the change in administrations, but don't think for a minute that ANY administration can be trusted to monitor its own adherence to the law.

Look for upcoming House and Senate investigations.

e have received notice of a serious issue involving the N.S.A., and we’ve begun inquiries into it,” a Congressional staff member said.