McConnell sides with national security hawks in showdown over FISA spy program

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday criticized those putting up roadblocks to reauthorizing the government’s chief spying tool.

Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said his GOP colleagues who’ve demanded a warrant requirement are “misguided” and “frankly, they would forget the lessons of 9/11.”

“Let me be clear: the data collected under Section 702 is collected lawfully,” Mr. McConnell said in remarks made on the Senate floor. “It is entirely reasonable under the constitution. Any incidental collection of communications by or about U.S. persons is also reasonable.”

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Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Section 702 which allows warrantless electronic spying on foreigners abroad is set to expire Friday. A bill was approved by the House last week to extend FISA spying until 2026 despite objects from hard-line conservatives, civil liberties groups and former President Donald Trump.

The Senate is expected to address the legislation this week. 

Section 702 is aimed at capturing emails, texts, phone calls and other electronic communications by foreigners abroad. Sometimes Americans’ data gets intercepted when they converse with foreign targets.

Mr. McConnell also disputed Mr. Trump’s claim that the government used FISA to spy on his 2016 campaign. The surveillance was conducted using FISA’s Title I — not Section 702 — that allows surveillance of U.S. persons in America.

In that case, the FBI needed a warrant but lied on the application to the secret FISA court.

“America is facing the most dangerous combination of national security challenges since the end of the Cold War. I will not be party to any effort to make it harder to meet these challenges,” Mr. McConnell said. “And the Senate will not allow vital security authorities to go dark.”