Inspector General’s Report Highlights Need for FISA Reforms

The Inspector General's review of FISA applications for the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election raises new concerns about the use of the surveillance authority. The Inspector General concluded that the FBI investigation was properly predicated and there was no evidence of political bias or improper motivation. However, the IG Report also detailed significant misrepresentations and errors made in the investigation designated "Crossfire Hurricane." The Report found that "FBI personnel fell far short of the requirement in FBI policy that they ensure that all factual statements in a FISA application are 'scrupulously accurate.'" EPIC has advocated for significant FISA reforms for more than a decade, and recently advised Congress to reform Section 702 of FISA and to sunset Section 215 of the Patriot Act.