The Establishment GOP Plan to Get Inside Your Computer

Wednesday the U.S. Senate rejected a bill that would’ve granted the FBI access to your Internet browser history by one vote. The would’ve also granted the government access to your emails and other electronic communications in certain terrorism and spy cases.
 
The bill was written by Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) and was strongly opposed by privacy advocates.

From the Washington Post:

The measure from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) would have also extended the government’s authority to conduct surveillance over potential “lone wolf” attackers.

McCain and Burr argued that the changes were necessary in the wake of recent terrorist attacks such as in Orlando, where a gunman claiming inspiration and loyalty to the Islamic State killed 49 people at a gay nightclub.
A majority of the Senate backed the proposal in a 58 to 38 vote, but it needed 60 votes to advance.

The measure inspired a fierce backlash from privacy advocates, and may have faced resistance in the House, where lawmakers passed a bill earlier this year to limit the government’s authority to access email.

11 Democrats and the lone remaining Independent in the Senate voted for the McCain bill. Six Republicans on the other hand crossed the aisle and voted against it.

The six Republicans who voted against John McCain and for the Constitution were Steve Daines, Cory Gardner, Dean Heller, Mike Lee, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul. Mitch McConnell voted against it for procedural reasons so he can bring it back up in the future. 

Every Senator should’ve voted against this legislation. There are no exemptions in the Constitution’s 4th amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure for terrorism and spy cases.

Even if you’re not a big 4th Amendment person, it’s usually good practice to vote against anything John McCain authors.