FBI Used Database of ‘Incidental Collection’ Info about U.S. Citizens 3.4M Times – 30% in Error – Rep. Jordan Reveals

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CNS News

The Justice Department has a database of “incidental collection” information about U.S. citizens, which ten thousand DOJ employees can access – and 30% of the 3.4 million times they did so last year were in error, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) revealed Thursday.

The news came out at a House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance hearing, as Judiciary Chair Jordan questioned U.S. Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board members Sharon Franklin and Beth Williams.

The FBI is refusing to reveal, or even estimate, how many Americans are in the “incidental collection” database, or much information about them has been incidentally acquired, they testified.

What’s more, the Justice Department is conducting these investigations of U.S. citizens without probable cause, Rep. Jordan explained:

“Americans are being picked up in this ‘incidental collection.’

“We don’t know the number. My guess is it’s pretty darn big. They won’t tell us.

“And, without probable cause, that database is being searched 3.4 million times – with all kinds of error rates, as Mr. Gates [R-Fla.], in his round of question, determined earlier.”