WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A key U.S. congressman said a recent court ruling on the National Security Agency undercut the message of NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., said on "Fox News Sunday" that Snowden's contention the NSA's so-called metadata mining was illegal was contradicted this week when a federal judge in New York said it met legal requirements.
"I think this most recent judicial ruling is important for one reason: It re-instituted faith in the institution of judicial oversight, congressional oversight and the checks and balances within the executive branch," said Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
Rogers fired back at Snowden's assertion that he and other members of Congress were rubber-stamping the NSA's actions. He said Snowden had a troubled employment history and had endangered U.S. troops in Afghanistan through his actions.
Another committee member, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told Fox he too was "unmoved" by Snowden's stance and was satisfied with the level of legal analysis by the government of the controversial program and court rulings upholding its legality.
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