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Unusual Alliance Seeks Reforms in Foreign Intelligence Surveillance

Masood Farivar

   WASHINGTON - In 2013, Democratic SenatorRichard Blumenthal introduced
   legislation to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the
   law that authorizes the FBI to undertake secret electronic surveillance
   of terror suspects and foreign spies.

   Among other reforms, the bill proposed the creation of a special
   advocate to represent the interests of surveillance targets before a
   secret intelligence court in Washington.

   But Blumenthal's legislation never gained traction. While 18 Democrats
   co-sponsored it, not a single Republican signed on, Blumenthal said
   Wednesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Justice
   Department inspector general's report about the FBI's investigation of
   Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

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