Warrantless Wiretapping

In the aftermath of 9/11, President George W. Bush approved a secret program that allowed National Security Agency investigators to wiretap the overseas telephone calls and e-mails of American citizens without a warrant. Previously, wiretaps within the United States had to be approved by a panel of judges established by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). But Bush said the controversial wiretaps were crucial to the war on terror and awaiting FISA authorization endangered national security.