Congressman Mike Rogers on Domestic Spying: It's OK As Long As We Don't Get Caught

[Washingtons Blog] The chair of the House Intelligence Committee – Mike Rogers – said
yesterday in an NSA spying hearing which he led that there is no right
to privacy in America.

Constitutional expert Stephen I. Vladeck – Professor of Law and the Associate Dean for Scholarship at American University Washington College of Law – disagreed.

Here’s the exchange:

Rogers: I would argue the fact that
we haven’t had any complaints come forward with any specificity arguing
that their privacy has been violated, clearly indicates, in ten years,
clearly indicates that something must be doing right. Somebody must be
doing something exactly right.

Vladeck: But who would be complaining? 

Rogers: You can’t have your privacy violated if you don’t know your privacy is violated.: Somebody who’s privacy was violated.  

Vladeck: I disagree with that. If a tree falls in the forest, it makes a noise whether you’re there to see it or not. 

Rogers: Well that’s a new interesting
standard in the law. We’re going to have this conversation… but we’re
going to have wine, because that’s going to get a lot more interesting…

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