Ron Paul: NSA ‘fudged the figures’

Former Rep. Ron Paul isnt buying that NSA surveillance of private American citizens is necessary or has prevented as many terrorism plots as officials claim it has, as was unveiled by hearings today.

I dont really believe that because I think they fudged the figures. Of those 50 plots that they stopped, I think 40 were minor plots overseas, for all we know. So they stretched the point. And even these hearings today were a bit of a shambecause they had already decided what the results would be, Paul said on Fox News on Tuesday. They have to try to justify their existence of destroying the freedom of and the privacy of the American citizens, otherwise theyre out of work.

The Texas Republican was referencing the House Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday where National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander said communication surveillance programs have thwarted more than 50 potential terrorist events. Paul also wasnt amused by the NSA trying to pass the intrusions off as an attempt to save Americans and the American way of life.

Its sort of like the old story about you have to burn the village to save the village. They want to burn the Constitution to save the Constitution, he said. And even today, [James] Cole, the Deputy Attorney General says, the Fourth Amendment doesnt apply to this. Where did he get this brilliance to know when it applies and when it doesnt?

If we can go to war and do all these other things and throw the constitution out the window so casually, you better be sure if you give them an inch, theyre going to take a mile and paint themselves as heroes, Paul added. The one thing they dont do is ever ask the motivation for people wanting to kill us. If we dont ask that question we cant stop these problems by just taking more liberties away from the American people. Were going in the opposite way. Weve taken away the constitution, were supposed to be fighting to save the constitution. Its completely turned on its head.

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Ron Paul: NSA 'fudged the figures'