MTG slams GOP over FISA as Republicans pass warrantless surveillance extension

WASHINGTON, DC: Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has issued a scathing indictment of her own party, characterizing the House of Representatives' latest legislative action as a total abandonment of constitutional liberties.

In a remarkable public statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, May 1, Greene highlighted how the House moved to pass a 45-day extension of FISA 702, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act originally intended to be pushed through by voice without a formal vote.

The effort to bypass a recorded vote was blocked by Representative Thomas Massie, who forced a public debate and demanded that members go on the record regarding the controversial surveillance tool.

Greene lauded Massie as a "giant among men," noting that he fought harder for the American people than the rest of the House and Senate combined.

GOP leadership abandons warrant requirements

Despite years of campaigning on the promise to reform FISA and add warrant requirements, Greene revealed that Republican leadership essentially pivoted to support a "clean" extension.

Most notably, Representative Jim Jordan, a longtime advocate for warrant protections, led the debate against adding those very warrants.

Greene claimed Jordan urged a "YES" vote for the clean extension because that is what Donald Trump demanded.

This shift comes even after FISA was famously used to spy on Trump and his campaign. Greene noted the irony of Trump telling supporters to "give up your rights" and pass the bill.

While Representatives Chip Roy, Warren Davidson, and Keith Self joined Massie in making strong cases for privacy and a ban on Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the broader party alignment remained with the extension.

Bipartisan failure to protect privacy

The betrayal was not limited to one side of the aisle. Greene pointed to Representative Jamie Raskin as a symbol of the "meaningless" rhetoric in Washington.

Although Raskin gave compelling arguments for the need for FISA reform and bipartisanship, he ultimately voted "YES" for the extension without warrant requirements.

The Republican-controlled Senate also drew Greene's ire. Senate Leader John Thune has declared that a ban on CBDC is "dead on arrival" in the upper chamber.

Greene argued that both parties are effectively "one and the same" behind the veil, as neither the Democrats nor the Republican Senate will move to protect Americans from tools of state control and surveillance.

Recognition for the dissenting minority

Ultimately, the 45-day extension passed, but not without opposition from 111 members of Congress who voted "NAY."

Greene emphasized that only 26 "brave" Republicans were among those who voted against the measure.

She urged Americans to ignore the "puffs of air" from politicians' words and look strictly at their voting records.

The list of Republican "NO" votes included representatives such as Boebert, Massie, Biggs, and Roy.

Greene concluded by telling her followers that if their representative is not on the list of "NO" votes, they should withdraw their support immediately, regardless of party affiliation, as the campaign promises made to voters have been officially broken.