The United States Justice Department has sued two members of Missouri’s Public Service Commission to deny them access to telephone records that phone companies might have given to the National Security Agency. Commissioners Robert Clayton and Steve Gaw have subpoenaed AT&T to find out whether the company had supplied information and calling records of Missouri customers to the federal agency. Clayton and Gaw claim that would be a violation of privacy rules in this state. In its filing, the Justice Department says disclosing details of the program would do serious harm to national security efforts. Federal officials have claimed the program that monitors some phone calls in and out of the country is necessary to thwart terrorist efforts.
