THE HILL: Merkley waves Verizon phone, demands NSA chief share grounds for seizing data. “In a dramatic exchange Wednesday on Capitol Hill, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) demanded National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander explain why the agency was legally authorized to obtain his personal cellphone data. Waving his Verizon phone from his seat, Merkley asked Alexander to explain ‘what authorized investigation gave you the grounds’ to seize information on his calls and those of millions of other Americans. Alexander sidestepped the question, saying the Department of Justice was responsible for outlining the legal authorities under which the agency could request such data.”

Well, that’s comforting.