Sen. Wyden Exposes Major Carriers’ Failure to Report Surveillance Requests
Key Findings from the Senate Investigation
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, revealed in a Wednesday letter that AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon failed to notify lawmakers about government surveillance requests despite contractual obligations.
The Surveillance Notification Gap
- Major carriers neglected reporting requirements for legal surveillance requests, including those from the White House
- All three companies have since committed to providing such notifications following Wyden’s investigation
- One unnamed carrier admitted to turning over Senate data without notification
Background: A Pattern of Secret Surveillance
This revelation follows:
- A 2024 Inspector General report exposing Trump administration surveillance of 43 congressional staffers and 2 House lawmakers (2017-2018)
- 2021 disclosures that Rep. Adam Schiff (then House Intelligence Committee Chair) was targeted
“Executive branch surveillance poses a significant threat to the Senate’s independence and the foundational principle of separation of powers,” Wyden warned.
Carrier Responses and Policies
Major Carriers:
- AT&T: Claims compliance with current contract (begun June 2024) but declined to comment on prior periods
- Verizon & T-Mobile: Did not respond to requests for comment
Privacy-Focused Alternatives:
- Google Fi, US Mobile, Cape have proactive notification policies
- US Mobile & Cape implemented policies after Wyden’s outreach
- Cape’s privacy policy explicitly commits to notifying subscribers unless legally prohibited
Contractual Protections and Limitations
- 2020 congressional protections led to updated Senate contracts requiring surveillance notifications
- Wyden’s staff discovered these requirements weren’t being implemented
- Critical gap: Protections don’t cover personal or campaign phones used by senators/staff
Expert Commentary
“If law enforcement can secretly obtain Senators’ location data or call histories, our constitutional duties are severely threatened,” Wyden emphasized in his letter, urging colleagues to switch to compliant carriers.
Note: Article updated with additional comments from Cape and US Mobile leadership.
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