7. Russ Tice
The NSA again hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in 2005 when intelligence analyst Russ Tice resurfaced concerns about his organization’s illegal espionage against its own citizens.
After receiving authorization by the Bush Administration in 2001, the NSA had resumed warrantless wiretaps to carry out surveillance on U.S. citizens. This enabled the agency to monitor internet traffic, SMS, and other forms of communication.
The official line is that under pressure from the media and public opinion as a result of Tice’s information, the Bush Administration ordered the closure of the program in 2007.
