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The NSA's director, Gen Keith Alexander, referred to the 12 cases in testimony to a congressional hearing on Thursday. The DoJ did not respond to a request for information about why no charges were brought. The abuses – technically breaches of the law – did not result in a single prosecution, even though more than half of the cases were referred to the Department of Justice. Two civilian employees kept their jobs – and, it appears, their security clearance – and escaped with only a written warning after they were found to have conducted unauthorised interceptions. In seven cases, individuals guilty of abusing their powers resigned or retired before disciplinary action could be taken. It also reveals limited disciplinary action taken against NSA staff found to have abused the system. In a quarter of the cases, the NSA only found out about the misconduct after the employee confessed. But it raises the possibility that there are many more cases that go undetected. The letter, from Dr George Ellard, only lists cases that were investigated and later "substantiated" by his office. One relates to a member of the US military who, on the first day he gained access to the surveillance system, used it to spy on six email addresses belonging to former girlfriends. "As we have said, for the NSA to unmask Tucker Carlson or any journalist attempting to secure a newsworthy interview is entirely unacceptable."Īn NSA spokesperson said the agency "remains fully committed to the rigorous and independent oversight provided by the NSA Inspector General's office." (Reporting by Sarah N.The case is among 12 documented in a letter from the NSA's inspector general to a leading member of Congress, who asked for a breakdown of cases in which the agency's powerful surveillance apparatus was deliberately abused by staff.

The Wall Street Journal quoted an unidentified person saying the review concerns Carlson.įox News, a unit of Fox Corp, is "gratified" to learn the alleged surveillance "will now be independently investigated," a spokesperson said.

The inspector general's office declined to comment further. Inspector General Robert Storch said in a written statement his office "is examining NSA's compliance with applicable legal authorities and Agency policies and procedures regarding collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination activities, including unmasking procedures, and whether any such actions were based upon improper considerations." Tucker Carlson has never been an intelligence target of the Agency and the NSA has never had any plans to try to take his program off the air," the NSA said in a statement posted on Twitter.

In late June, the NSA took the unusual step of publicly denying those allegations.