Interesting concept. So, in other words -- allow private contractors essentially to handle sensitive surveillence work to get around the Constitutional provision that would force agencies to obtain a warrant under probable cause? Really interesting.

Hmm. I guess I'll leave my full opinions out this time.

Yes, there's a reason why agents will frequently use PI's to gain information without a warrant -- because a PI is basically not prohibited by the same constraints under law.

Archie, it's been documented several times over with PI's admitting that local, state, and federal agents are clients for conducting various surveillence and tailing investigations that would otherwise require a warrant that might be difficult to obtain in a court. So it's not like the practice is new to anyone.

The concern that gets raised in Adena's post -- is that in essence, and if it's true -- there's a possibility for it to be taken to a radically new level.

I'm not a tin-foil hat theorist -- I just try my best to see the obvious, and then attempt to make sense of why it is that something like that can take place and with a lack of fundamental questioning on the part of too many involved.

Then again -- I would imagine that money is quite an incentive.