Report says U.S. spied on allies, new legislation on the way

The White House is under fire because of a report suggesting it has wiretapped its allies.

According to The Guardian’s report, the U.S. monitored 35 different world leaders as part of the National Security Agency’s data mining program known as PRISM. The report cited a memo handed over by former NSA employee Edward Snowden, who has been systematically releasing information on the program since June.

France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and Sweden publicly denounced the revelations. The Associated Press reported Spain’s prosecutor’s office had opened an inquiry into the spying to see whether or not a crime was committed. They warned that if the report proves to be true, there could be a serious rift in relations with the U.S.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel phoned President Barack Obama to personally complain after it was reported that he had authorized surveillance on her personal cell phone at least three years ago. Her phone may have been monitored since 2002 along with other world leaders, according to German magazine Der Spiegel.

Obama said he had no knowledge of the program, according to the Washington Post. Der Spiegel reported Obama assured Merkel she was not under surveillance now as he ended the data collection after he visited Berlin in June.

Meanwhile, her Democratic colleagues Sen. Patrick Leahy and Sen. Ron Wyden along with Republican Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner introduced legislation Tuesday to end the mass collection program. Sensenbrenner’s support is notable as he was the original author of the Patriot Act, the bill that made the NSA’s PRISM program constitutional.

Sensenbrenner said in a statement the Patriot Act has kept America safe from terrorism since its passage.

“Somewhere along the way, the balance between security and privacy was lost,” he said in a press release. “It’s now time for the judiciary committees to again come together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the law is properly interpreted, past abuses are not repeated and American liberties are protected. Washington must regain Americans’ trust in their government.”

The American Civil Liberties Union, one of the main civilian critics of the program, said on their website they fully supported the legislation and were happy to see Sensenbrenner leading the way in reform.

Texas abortion restrictionsruled unconstitutional

A federal judge ruled parts of the abortion restrictions passed earlier this year by the state of Texas unconstitutional.

The restrictions passed in July would leave only five clinics open in the second-most populous state in the country.

The law also included a ban on abortions after 20 weeks unless the health of the mother is in jeopardy, this portion of the law was not challenged.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott plans to appeal the ruling.