After weeks of political hand-wringing, the Patriot Act is out and the USA Freedom Act is in. But despite substantial support from both parties, the sweeping national security reform is not without critics.
Chief among them is Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who unsuccessfully lobbied to extend bulk metadata collection authorized under Section 215 of the Patriot Act.
Rubio argued to keep the metadata program as is in a USA Today op-ed May 10.
“There is not a single documented case of abuse of this program,” Rubio wrote. “Internet search providers, Internet-based email accounts, credit card companies and membership discount cards used at the grocery store all collect far more personal information on Americans than the bulk metadata program.”
The metadata program has not produced a single case of abuse? That’s a strong claim. Does it withstand scrutiny?
Well, sort of. It depends on how you define “abuse.”
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