The NSA's database of American's phone calls was made public in 2006 by
USA Today journalist Leslie Cauley in an article titled, "NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls."
[52] The article cites anonymous sources that described the program's reach on American citizens: "...it means that the government has detailed records of calls they made — across town or across the country — to family members, co-workers, business contacts and others. The three telecommunications companies are working under contract with the NSA, which launched the program in 2001 shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." The report failed to generate discussion of privacy rights in the media and was not referenced by Greenwald or the Washington Post in any of their reporting.
In 2009,
The New York Times cited several anonymous intelligence officials alleging that "the N.S.A. made Americans targets in eavesdropping operations based on insufficient evidence tying them to terrorism" and "the N.S.A. tried to wiretap a member of Congress without a warrant".
[53]On 1 January 2006, days after
The New York Times wrote that "
Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts,
[44] the President emphasized that "
This is a limited program designed to prevent attacks on the United States of America. And I repeat, limited."
[45]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_surveillance_in_the_United_States