March 1, 2026
Semantic gymnastics, meet popcorn
How the Government Deceived Congress in the Debate over Surveillance Powers (2013)
‘Least untruthful’ and a library of your calls: commenters call BS
TLDR: America’s spy boss told Congress the NSA didn’t “wittingly” collect our data, then called that the “least untruthful” answer as phone records poured in under the Patriot Act. Readers are outraged and snarky, debating accountability and memeing the word games, asking if anyone ever pays a price.
The internet’s verdict on the government’s “least untruthful” moment? Pure side‑eye. After intel chief James Clapper told Congress the National Security Agency (NSA) didn’t “wittingly” collect data on millions of Americans—while a court order had Verizon handing over everyone’s call records—commenters erupted. One summed up the mood as “believe me or your lying eyes” vibes, accusing officials of hiding behind word games. The kicker that fueled the fire: Clapper later defended it as the “least untruthful” way to answer, leaning on a twisty definition of “collect” the administration has used before explained here.
Drama points: Senator Ron Wyden, who had warned the public would be shocked by secret readings of the Patriot Act (a post‑9/11 law), says he gave Clapper a day’s notice and a chance to correct the record—he didn’t. Cue outrage and memes. The “library” analogy—where your phone records aren’t “collected” until “opened”—got roasted: “If it’s on the shelf, it’s in the collection,” one user joked, imagining the NSA as a very nosy librarian. A cynical chorus asked the real question: will anyone face consequences for misleading Congress? A small minority argued national security needs nuance, but they were drowned out by snark, with commenters riffing that officials work hard to avoid only the appearance of impropriety. For newcomers, key players: Clapper, Wyden, and the Patriot Act’s Section 215.
Key Points
- •Sen. Ron Wyden asked DNI James Clapper in 2013 if the NSA collected data on millions of Americans; Clapper replied, “No, sir … not wittingly.”
- •The article cites an April FISC order requiring Verizon to provide all call records to the NSA, indicating bulk telephony metadata collection.
- •Clapper later described his answer as the “least untruthful” way to respond and relied on a technical definition of “collection.”
- •Under DoD regulations, “collection” requires receipt by an intelligence employee and processing into intelligible form, allowing stored/searched data to be considered not “collected.”
- •Wyden said he gave Clapper advance notice of the question and a chance to amend his testimony; Clapper declined; Clapper used a library metaphor to explain his view of “collection.”