WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has identified what it describes as “material errors” in two applications for national security wiretaps, but also says it has made important strides in overhauling a surveillance system that has come under political scrutiny because of mistakes made during the Russia probe.
The department did not identify the investigations in which the mistakes and omissions were found, but defines material errors as those that are relevant in deciding whether probable cause exists for authorizing surveillance.
In both cases, the department reported the errors and concluded there was probable cause to believe the targets of the surveillance were agents of a foreign power.