Western Dems blast NSA surveillance

Western Democrats on the ballot in 2014 are strongly condemning the National Security Agency.

Montana Lt. Gov. John Walsh, a candidate for Senate who is likely to be appointed when Sen. Max Baucus (D) becomes ambassador to China, is the latest in a long line of Democrats to protest, releasing a statement Friday that blasted a federal judges ruling that the NSAs bulk collection of phone records is legal.

Outspoken criticism of NSA programs allows potentially vulnerable incumbents to distance themselves from a president whose popularity is sagging while scoring points with liberals and appealing to the regions libertarian streak.

The NSAs massive collection of law-abiding Americans phone records chips away at our fundamental right to privacy, Walsh said. Fighting decisions like this is why I am running for the U.S. Senate because Montanans deserve a leader who has the courage to secure our nation without sacrificing freedoms.

Alaska Sen. Mark Begich (D) is building his mailing list with a petition on his campaigns web site urging Congress to immediately stop the call-collection program.

(Also on POLITICO: Judge rules NSA phone tracking legal)

This is an enormous invasion of every Alaskans right to privacy, Begichs web site says. The government should not have the ability to collect our information without a warrant.

Colorado Sen. Mark Udall (D) went on ABCs This Week Sunday to urge President Barack Obama to consider all 46 of the recommendations in a report addressing the collection of phone data.

It doesnt fit the standard in the Fourth Amendment of unreasonable search and seizure, he said of the program.

Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley (D) has been one of the most vocal boosters of more congressional oversight of NSA. Hes pushed legislation, with bipartisan support, that would prevent the government from keeping FISA court interpretations of the law secret.

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Western Dems blast NSA surveillance