WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following Rep. Mike Turner’s February 14, 2024, actions related to “a serious national security threat,” Demand Progress and FreedomWorks are joining the growing calls for Rep. Mike Turner to step down as chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI). In broadcasting and drawing attention to this information, Rep. Turner, with Ranking Member Himes, described it as “an urgent matter” regarding a “destabilizing foreign military capability that should be known by all Congressional Policy Makers.” In fact, it appears Rep. Turner exploited his privileged access to intelligence to scare his colleagues in an effort to undermine reform of warrantless surveillance laws.
Members of Congress are similarly calling for an investigation into Turner’s actions and his resignation.
Demand Progress Policy Director Sean Vitka issued the following statement on the matter:
“Representative Mike Turner must resign from his chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee. It is unconscionable that he would exploit his privileged access to classified information to undermine House consideration of FISA reform. This particular part of his ongoing misinformation campaign against privacy was rooted in staggering bad faith and has undermined national security. If Mike Turner actually cares about America’s security, he should allow for his colleagues to vote on the overwhelmingly popular reforms to FISA instead of bringing down Rules Committee hearings, which would have allowed his colleagues to vote on both reform and reauthorization. This further suggests the Intelligence Committee is trying to force House leadership to jam reauthorization into upcoming must-pass legislation, which would be a betrayal of the American people.”
FreedomWorks Policy Advisor Eric Harrison issued the following statement:
“Intelligence is a product designed to describe what is so policymakers can make informed decisions about what could and should be. While his colleagues were attempting to prevent further government abuses against its citizens, Chairman Turner blatantly abused his privileged access to intelligence. In a time where trust in government is at a historic low, Chairman Turner should resign so that maybe, just maybe, some of that trust can begin to be restored.”
Demand Progress Education Fund and FreedomWorks recently released polling regarding Americans’ perspectives on government surveillance. Here are a few of the topline findings:
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Over 81% of Americans want Congress to “debate a variety of privacy protections for people in the U.S. before extending” Section 702, including the data broker loophole specifically. (Q10)
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78% of Americans think Congress should “strengthen privacy protections for people in the U.S. against warrantless government surveillance.” (Q1)
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74% of Americans think “Congressional leaders ensure rank-and-file members of Congress can openly debate and vote up-or-down” on these issues. (Q12)
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76% of Americans think agencies should be “required to obtain warrants” before knowingly conducting backdoor searches of billions of international communications looking for people in the United States. (Q2)
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80% of Americans think the government should “obtain warrants before purchasing location information, internet records, and other sensitive data about people in the U.S. from data brokers.” (Q8)