"Wired is reporting that the FBI hid Patriot Act abuses with retroactive and flawed subpoenas, and used them to illegally acquire phone and credit card records. There were at least 11 retroactive, 'blanket' subpoenas that were signed by top counter-terrorism officials, some of which sought information the FBI is not allowed to have. The FBI's Communication Analysis Unit also had secret contracts with AT&T, Verizon and MCI, and abused National Security Letters by issuing subpoenas based on fake emergencies." http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/03/fbi-tried-to-co.html http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/washington/13fbi.html?_r=1&ref=washington&oref=slogin