U.S. denies monitoring journalist’s phone calls
WASHINGTON – A U.S. official said Monday that the National Security Agency did not monitor phone conversations between a New Zealand journalist and his Afghan sources, following claims by the journalist that his reporting was monitored by the U.S. intelligence programs revealed by NSA leaker Edward Snowden on behalf of New Zealand’s military.
Officials in the intelligence community and experts said if any surveillance was done, it was more likely that his phone calls were caught up by standard military intelligence monitoring of enemy communications in war zones.
The Obama administration brushed off new allegations of NSA surveillance overreach, this time focusing on freelance reporter Jon Stephenson, who was in Kabul, Afghanistan, working for American news service McClatchy and other media outlets when his phone records were reportedly seized.
Senate confirms Comey as new FBI director
WASHINGTON – The Senate overwhelmingly confirmed James Comey on Monday to become FBI director, elevating the one-time Justice Department official who defied efforts by President George W. Bush’s White House to renew a program that allowed warrantless eavesdropping.
Comey was approved 93-1 after one of the Senate’s leading conservatives abruptly ended delaying tactics that had blocked a vote on the nomination.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., mentioned as a possible 2016 GOP presidential candidate, had been thwarting the vote over his concerns about the FBI’s domestic use of drones. Minutes before a showdown vote that seemed likely to force an end to his delays, Paul announced he would allow a vote on Comey, saying he’d received a letter from the FBI that answered his questions about drones.
President Barack Obama nominated Comey, 52, in June.
Voters turning away from Weiner in poll
NEW YORK – New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner plunged to fourth place among Democrats in the first poll taken since he admitted to having illicit online exchanges with women even after he resigned from Congress amid a sexting scandal.
The poll which Weiner led just five days ago also showed about half of likely Democratic voters saying Weiner should abandon his mayoral bid.
Weiner’s support fell from 26 percent last week to 16 percent in Monday’s Quinnipiac University poll.
Associated Press
