Federal overreach comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes, it's the EPA telling a farmer how to till his land. Other times, it's the Department of Education dictating curriculum for local school districts.
But perhaps the most terrifying of Washington's powers is its ability to spy on American citizens without notice or warrant. That type of invasion came to the forefront this week when Rep. Adam Schiff released phone records from several prominent players in President Trump's impeachment proceedings. As Leslie McAdoo Gordon explained for The Federalist, Rep. Schiff didn't need to ask anyone to obtain those private records:
This week in the impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, released his report on the inquiry to date. The report included records of telephone calls of President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and another man, Lev Parnas, who was reportedly assisting Giuliani in his investigation of alleged activities in Ukraine or by Ukrainians to interfere in the 2016 election. These records included calls allegedly with Devin Nunes, R-Calif., the ranking minority member on the Intelligence Committee, and John Solomon, a prominent journalist.
Americans began querying how Schiff could have obtained the phone call records for the report. Some speculated that a secret warrant had been sought for them, that someone at the carrier (AT&T) had leaked them, that the National Security Agency had been tasked with obtaining them, or that a federal agency had issued a “natsec” letter to acquire them for the intelligence committee.
In reality, the government can obtain these records without taking any such extraordinary measures — and no judge even need be involved for Congress to get them. It can simply send a subpoena to the carrier.
This seemingly astonishing explanation exists because under current law, these records are not protected by any warrant requirement.
The federal government is out of control. This is precisely the kind of overreach the Founders warned us about, and they gave us a way to fight back (peacefully) in Article V of the Constitution.
An Article V Convention of States can propose constitutional amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government. These amendments can clarify that the people, not the feds, are in charge of our country's future and significantly limit Washington's power to spy on its citizens.
Four million Americans and fifteen states have signed on board. Will you be the next patriot to join the cause? Sign the Convention of States Petition below!
