WASHINGTON -
Is Vermont's cyber senator doing a 180 when it comes to protecting your emails from prying eyes? A national news story out Tuesday says yes, but Sen. Patrick Leahy says it's not true.
At issue is a bill before Leahy's Senate Judiciary Committee that deals with government surveillance of internet activity. An article on CNET suggests Leahy supports a version of the bill that would give law enforcement access to emails, Facebook posts, Twitter messages and more without a search warrant. The article claims the bill is an "abrupt departure" from Leahy's earlier claims of enhanced privacy protections.
But the senator says it isn't true. He issued a statement Tuesday saying the warrant exceptions are just ideas being circulated for discussion in committee and Leahy says he does not support them.
