In a change of course, the White House on Wednesday afternoon will publicly release an internal report on government surveillance efforts, a highly anticipated document that also will include recommendations for how the federal government can best balance its intelligence-gathering efforts with Americans’ right to privacy.
The report, put together by the five-member Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies, was originally meant to be kept under wraps until after the new year.
But White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters that “inaccurate” reports in the press about what the study contains has prompted the administration to release it sooner.
“This is a serious document for which the president is greatly appreciative,” Mr. Carney said.
The group — comprised of Richard Clarke, Michael Morell, Geoffrey Stone, Cass Sunstein and Peter Swire — delivered its report to the president last week.
It contains 46 specific recommendations for the federal government as it continues controversial surveillance and data-collection programs.
Some of those recommendations will be implemented, some will not, and others may be changed, Mr. Carney said.
“When we finish the internal review in January, the president will deliver remarks to outline the outcomes of our work,” he said.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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