The debate surrounding the sunset of section 215 of the Patriot Act is a historic moment for the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures of their persons, houses, papers and effects.

Americans do not and cannot trust government to be benevolent — nor should they. This is part of the reason our Constitution was written as it was in the first place. And this truth has been proven again and again in modern times, by so many recent official misdeeds and falsehoods coming from the mouthpieces of government — including prosecutorial misconduct that has had grave consequences and serious criminal penalties for its victims.