Breaking news: The White House is defending itself against charges it secretly obtained records for Verizon phone calls made in the United States, arguing that the policy -- first reported by Britain's Guardian newspaper last night -- is a vital tool in monitoring terrorists and has the approval of "all three branches of government," according to a senior administration official. The order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court authorizes the National Security Agency to collect phone numbers but "does not allow the government to listen in on anyone's telephone calls" unless the NSA makes a separate request, the official said. http://politico.com
Earlier: White House admits it gathered Verizon records http://politi.co/120PvQh
