Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) / Newscom
Government transparency and clandestine operations are not at odds with each other and can be reconciled, argues Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ).
Speaking at the Conservative Policy Summit Monday at The Heritage Foundation, Salmon affirmed the need for clandestine operations, but noted that they “must be targeted and well-executed in order to be effective in saving the lives of our troops and innocent civilians.”
“Mass spying did not protect us from the Boston Marathon bombers, or the Christmas day bomber . . . or the shooting at Fort Hood,” Salmon argued, adding that “a case for the lack of congressional oversight” in these investigations cannot be justified.
Lambasting the “damaging effects of [an] out-of-control surveillance state,” Salmon added, “When you give the government an inch, they take a mile.”
Last May, Salmon introduced a bill that would “increase protections for electronic communications, including personal emails, of U.S. citizens” by requiring the government to obtain a warrant before accessing emails, according to a press release.
Calling for citizens to “stand together, unintimidated” to defend their natural rights, Salmon added: “There is a role for secrecy, but there must be a role for transparency.”
This story was produced by The Foundry’s news team. Nothing here should be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation.
