Topic: Executive Order 12333

Patrick Byrne claims that CIA Director John Brennan was effectively running the FBI's operations regarding Maria Butina and the Clinton investigation. He cites Executive Order 12333 as the legal mechanism that allowed the CIA to direct domestic FBI missions at the request of President Obama.

Former FBI Director James Comey disputes Attorney General William Barr's use of the word "spying" to describe the investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign. Comey argues that "court-ordered electronic surveillance" is the correct term. The hosts suggest Barr is specifically looking for violations of Executive Order 12333, which prohibits the CIA from spying on American citizens.

An anonymous donor claiming to work for a "three-letter agency" contributed $369.99, referencing Executive Order 12333. This Reagan-era order governs the conduct of U.S. intelligence activities and has been amended by subsequent presidents to strengthen the roles of the CIA and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The donor expressed appreciation for the show's deconstruction of political memes while maintaining anonymity to avoid professional retribution.

The hosts analyze the creation of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell (HRFC), an FBI-led operation involving multiple intelligence agencies. They link the authority of this new cell to Executive Order 12333, which allows for the collection of information on U.S. persons to protect "targets, victims, or hostages." The hosts suggest the HRFC is a "central spying cell" disguised as a humanitarian effort.

The hosts read a list of donors contributing via the value-for-value model. Several donors contribute $123.33, a reference to Executive Order 12333, which governs US intelligence activities. Donors from Germany, Canada, and various US states are acknowledged for their support of the program.

James Clapper's testimony regarding Executive Order 12333 is scrutinized, particularly his non-answer regarding CIA domestic spying. When asked if the CIA conducts searches of U.S. citizens, Clapper responds that the agency follows the "spirit of the law" rather than giving a direct denial. The hosts interpret this as a "performative" evasion typical of intelligence officials under oath.

The discussion focuses on Executive Order 12333 and President Obama's new Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) regarding signals intelligence. Analysis suggests that despite public rhetoric, the new directive does not alter the underlying authority of the CIA or FBI to spy on U.S. persons under the original Reagan-era order.

Richard Clark revealed that Section 215 is only a small part of U.S. surveillance, with the majority of data collected under Executive Order 12333. This Reagan-era order allows intelligence agencies to collect information on U.S. persons if it is "publicly available" or provided with "consent." This includes data from Facebook, Google, and Twitter, where users implicitly consent to data sharing through terms of service.

Former Congresswoman Jane Harman discusses the potential split of the NSA and Cyber Command on CNN. She highlights Executive Order 12333, signed by Ronald Reagan in 1981, which authorizes the collection of foreign intelligence without the force of law. The hosts note that Congress is aware of these broad surveillance powers but has historically declined to narrow them.

The hosts deconstruct President Obama's use of the term "US person" during his interview with Charlie Rose. They explain that legally, a "US person" includes not only citizens but also permanent residents, unincorporated associations, and corporations. They trace the power of the NSA back to Executive Order 12333 and discuss the anonymity rules within the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Listeners contributed various amounts to the show, with one donor highlighting the significance of the number 33 in relation to Executive Order 12333, which governs U.S. intelligence activities. Other donors requested "karma" for job interviews and military deployments. The segment includes a humorous comparison of the show's jingle to "neural programming."