Court skeptical about tossing surveillance suit
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seems skeptical of a government request to throw out a lawsuit challenging an expansion of a surveillance law used to monitor conversations of foreign spies and terrorist suspects.
While the law is aimed at foreigners, a lawyer argued Monday that Americans are getting caught up in the government monitoring. They want to sue to stop the 2008 expansion of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Lawyer Jameel Jaffer said his colleagues are already taking costly measures like flying overseas instead of using telephones and e-mails to keep their conversations private.
Solicitor General Donald Verrilli argued the lawyers are just speculating that their communications could be tapped under the expansion, which doesn't give them enough standing in court to sue.
Justices will make a decision next year.
