You KNOW somebody is going to ask "Why?", and this is your answer?

Alexander sidestepped the question, saying the Department of Justice was responsible for outlining the legal authorities under which the agency could request such data. He pledged, though, that he would make an effort to provide that explanation to the committee.

"I will work hard to do that, and if I can't do that, I will come back to you and tell you why," he said.
If he
Had a brain in his head, and/or
Actually intended to answer,
he'd have had the information ready.  And, especially after the "We saved New York with this!" claim fell apart, saying the call-tracking program had helped prevent “dozens” of terrorist attacks ain't gonna cut it unless you can show the data.  Which, for some reason, I doubt they can.

And while they're at it, they can explain this:
That’s right, the government’s sweeping surveillance of our most private communications excludes the jihad factories where homegrown terrorists are radicalized. 

Since October 2011, mosques have been off-limits to FBI agents. No more surveillance or undercover string operations without high-level approval from a special oversight body at the Justice Department dubbed the Sensitive Operations Review Committee. 

Who makes up this body, and how do they decide requests? Nobody knows; the names of the chairman, members and staff are kept secret.




And just because