[mpyne]

That's not an example of "subverting democracy" (though I'll admit I do find it distasteful).

Even that has rules, and the rules are on the whole followed.

Parallel construction is about finding evidence that can hold up in the court of law, without divulging classified intelligence "sources and methods" (you know, much the very things NSA is complaining about Snowden having done).

It starts from evidence legally collected by NSA (which is why "fruit of the poisonous tree" would not apply). The law permits the NSA to share that legally-collected information in some cases with law enforcement.

But law enforcement can't build a case on that without burning the NSA source, so NSA advises them on how to start a new trail that can lead to a prosecution without NSA having to close off that intelligence source.

Is it unfair? Perhaps, but then so is Google using legal tax loopholes to avoid paying taxes. Distasteful perhaps, but legally permissible.

[woah]

What do you not understand about warrants?

[mpyne]

Well that would be hard to accurately answer by definition, I think...