A first-term Arizona lawmaker is moving to clip the wings of the National Security Agency, at least in this state.
State Sen. Kelli Ward’s efforts follow disclosures by NSA leaker Edward Snowden that the agency is indiscriminately scooping up data. The agency has come under particular scrutiny for keeping track of phone calls, along with emails and information from social media.
The administration says the NSA’s actions have been authorized by Congress, and are needed to protect security, but Ward is not on board.
“I'm not one that believes that giving up our liberty is going to lead to increased security,” Ward said. “I just think we need to be free and we need to maintain our liberty. So this is what this is designed to do.”
Under her proposal a judge would have to approve a search warrant for state and local government to help the NSA. Arizona police and the courts would be prohibited from gathering information for the agency without a warrant.
The NSA declined comment for this story.