DEA gains power to 'conduct covert surveillance' for George Floyd protests

The Drug Enforcement Administration obtained the authority to “conduct covert surveillance” to assist law enforcement activities in cities that have been rocked by protests over the past week.

Timothy Shea, who was briefly acting U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., before being named acting administrator of the DEA last month, requested the broader powers in a two-page memo. “This memorandum seeks approval for the DEA to provide support on a nationwide basis to enforce federal criminal laws in the wake of protests arising from the death of George Floyd,” Shea wrote. “DEA requests this authority on a nationwide basis for a period of fourteen days commencing immediately.”