> people who write them $100,000 checks
Which law enforcement agency is writing $100k checks? There are no commercial interests in Section 702. In fact, if any, they would be against 702 (as Verizon doesn't like having to deal with it).
Which law enforcement agency is writing $100k checks? There are no commercial interests in Section 702. In fact, if any, they would be against 702 (as Verizon doesn't like having to deal with it).
Said more directly - powerful people want more law enforcement against the common people and they will lobby for it.
Law enforcement (both agencies and law enforcement personnel collectively separately from any agency) absolute do lobby legislators directly, and the public, for themselves.
Oh sure, NSA's budget just sits there never to be used. It's definitely not being used to pay contractors, buy equipment, or build data centers contrary to what we learned from the Snowden disclosures. /s