Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., grilled Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., on metadata collection during his confirmation hearing for CIA director Thursday.
Wyden, a critic of mass surveillance, challenged Pompeo on an op-ed the Democrat claimed advocated for “getting back into the metadata collection business” after these activities were limited by the USA Freedom Act.
“You want to create a system that collects all metadata, finances and lifestyle data,” Wyden said. “Any boundaries?”
In response, Pompeo promised to be constrained by the laws governing national surveillance. Wyden objected that Pompeo was proposing changing the law regarding the metadata program in ways “far more sweeping than anything Congress has proposed.”
The exchange occasionally became tense, with Wyden saying, “Congressman, I don’t take a backseat to anyone when it comes to protecting this country.”
Pompeo acknowledged Wyden’s commitment to national security but shot back, “I take a backseat to no one in protecting Americans’ privacy, either.”
Wyden asked Pompeo to submit in writing his views on the limitations of metadata collection.
President-elect Trump nominated Pompeo to run the CIA after winning the election in November.
