“Since 1978, the warrantless interception of communications to and from the United States had been prohibited by federal law. But [Deputy Chief of the Office of Legal Counsel John] Yoo’s September 25 [2001] memo authorized such surveillance, in secret, ‘incident to’ the authority Congress had just granted. The memo dramatically enhanced the power of the executive branch by leaving the courts and Congress out of the loop.”
– Craig Unger, The Fall of the House of Bush, Page 221