I personally think it&#x27;s a combination of things.  Sometimes Congress is just on board with what&#x27;s happening.  Sometimes they don&#x27;t have an idea what&#x27;s happening.  Other times, the surveillance state has their finger on the scale.<p>I think the case of Jane Harman is the creepiest example of this -- a case where the DoJ withheld prosecution of a surveillance &quot;friend&quot;, derived from NSA surveillance, so that she could continue to support an NSA surveillance program.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.theatlantic.com&#x2F;politics&#x2F;archive&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;the-danger-of-nsa-spying-on-members-of-congress&#x2F;282827&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.theatlantic.com&#x2F;politics&#x2F;archive&#x2F;2014&#x2F;01&#x2F;the-dang...</a>