Judge Richard Leon of the US District Court, the NSA’s program “likely violates the Constitution” , “This court simply cannot, and will not, allow the government to trump the Constitution..."

Federal judge orders NSA to halt phone surveillance program

Published time: 9 Nov, 2015 23:17Edited time: 10 Nov, 2015 02:07

 

Larry Klayman © Larry Downing / Reuters

 

A federal judge has ruled against the NSA’s controversial collection of Americans’ phone records. The program was set to expire by the end of the month, but the ruling is considered a victory for civil liberties because it sets a legal precedent.

 

In his ruling on Monday, Judge Richard Leon of the US District Court reiterated his assertion that the NSA’s program “likely violates the Constitution” and said that “the loss of constitutional freedoms for even one day is a significant harm.”

In doing so, he sided with conservative legal activist Larry Klayman, whose clients had sued the NSA over its data collection following the revelations of whistleblower of Edward Snowden in 2013.
“This court simply cannot, and will not, allow the government to trump the Constitution merely because it suits the exigencies of the moment,’’ Leon wrote in his 43-page decision.

Klayman said that winning the case is a “tremendous victory for the American people.” He added that Leon is one of the few judges in the country who “has the guts to stand in the breach for the American people during a period of time where their government is running roughshod over them."
Klayman also said that he will continue the fight and seek monetary damages from the government. 

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