Johnson Draws Ire Of Pro-Privacy Faction Ahead Of Surveillance Law Vote

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will give pro-privacy advocates something they wanted in the upcoming debate over renewing an anti-terror surveillance law: a floor vote on how law enforcement agencies can get hold of personal info on Americans without a warrant.

But critics say the move is a ploy meant to ensure the provision doesn’t make it into any final bill.

“Johnson has showed his true colors. His desire to appease [House] Intelligence Committee chair Mike Turner [R-Ohio] outweighs any sense of responsibility he might have to the American people, and he is ready and willing to betray their trust,” said Elizabeth Goitein, director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s liberty and national security program in a social media post .

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), whose Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act would prohibit law enforcement agencies from buying personal data, like location history, from private companies, told Politico,“They essentially want to concede that, ‘Okay, we allowed the debate to happen — but we are working very aggressively to make sure it doesn’t become law.’”

Facing potentially the two politically toughest weeks of his speakership so far, Johnson has to navigate two virtual minefields: getting the House to approve renewal of a 9/11-era law governing how U.S. law enforcement agencies track potential spies overseas, and a long-delayed funding package for Ukraine Johnson said would be dealt with after Easter.

The two issues cleave along different lines, even in his own conference. Pro-privacy advocates favor overhauling the surveillance law, especially the post-9/11 Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that has allowed for spying on Americans even while targeting