During a hearing Homeland Security head Jeh Johnson admitted Wednesday that he doesn’t know or understand the laws covered by the Fourth Amendment.
Johnson was appearing at a Senate gathering on the government’s surveillance capabilities and authority, specifically regarding obtaining records from telephone companies without a warrant.
When Kentucky Senator Rand Paul began grilling Johnson, asking him whether those practices are lawful under the Fourth Amendment, which covers searches and seizures, Johnson effectively pleaded ignorance.
When Paul asked Johnson if he believes the Fourth Amendment “applies to third party records,” Johnson said that it is “beyond my competence as secretary of homeland security” to answer the question.
This is a significant problem, given that Johnson is in charge of a government agency that has been granted an extremely broad authority to issue warrants without showing probable cause before a judge.
The DHS has taken it upon itself to invade the privacy and property rights of Americans using judge-less warrants labeled as “administrative subpoenas” by the feds.
“Here’s the problem, though, your agency is in charge of cooperating and being part of this,” Paul said. “And that’s the whole debate we have in our country is whether over we should do this.”
Johnson had earlier argued that it was a hindrance to DHS that Tech companies have taken it upon themselves to encrypt their records, in order to prevent unlawful searches.
Paul noted in response that the companies are within their right to do this because they know the “over-zealous” government is seizing records at will, and it has no “sense of decency toward privacy.”
“That’s why we’re mad, and that’s why people are attempting to encrypt information is to prevent the government from doing illegal searches of our records,” Paul added.
“I would propose that there is no person named Verizon,” said Paul, adding “you do not have an individualized warrant under the Fourth Amendment when to say to Mr. Verizon we want hundreds of millions of records.”
“And this is a debate, and it’s an important one.” the presidential candidate added.
“And if we’re going to complain about encryption, and we’re going to complain about individuals wanting privacy, we really need to have a thorough discussion of the Fourth Amendment and the complaints by many of us that you’re doing something without a warrant.”
—————————————————————-
Steve Watson is a London based writer and editor for Alex Jones’ Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Nottingham Trent University.
http://www.infowars.com/homeland-security-chief-admits-he-doesnt-understand-4th-amendment/
“Fourth amendment? Is that the one about coveting my neighbor’s ass?”
“During a hearing Homeland Security head Jeh Johnson admitted Wednesday that he doesn’t know or understand the laws covered by the Fourth Amendment.”
So he unknowingly ignores the 4th, as opposed to knowingly, if he did “know or understand” it.
Moot point.
Still earns him a hemp necktie.
He KNOWS what the word UNDERSTAND means and so therefor he DOES NOT understand(stand under) words on a piece of paper.
He is not a bar licensed attorney nor a “justice of the peace” or a Judge of any kind elected or other and therefor is not required to UNDERSTAND or comprehend the Bill of Rights or Constitution of the United states of America.
He has LAWYERS and COUNCIL to advise him as to what the meanings and ramification of such understandings are.
Otherwise he would impeach himself as a witness in any future hearing or trial. As an officer of the corporation he has no interest in applying him the person to HE the OFFICER of the corps. That is what he was saying.
These crooks love their ceremonies.
What do you expect from a bunch of Zionists. One is in charge of the Gestapo police while the other kisses the ring of Netanyahoo in hopes of becoming president while talking out both sides of his mouth. Hang ’em both for high treason!