Chief Justice Roberts names two judges to FISA courts

By Frederic J. Frommer Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chief Justice John Roberts has named two judges to the secretive courts that oversee government surveillance in spy and terrorism cases. Roberts named James E. Boasberg, a district court judge in Washington, to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court effective May 19. The chief justice named Richard C. Tallman, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, to the FISA appeals court effective Jan. 27. Boasberg was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, and Tallman was appointed by President Bill Clinton. Both will keep their current judgeships while taking on the new responsibilities. The courts that oversee government surveillance are coming under new scrutiny since former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden leaked information about the NSA's collection of Americans' telephone data and other spying. Published: Tue, Feb 11, 2014