February 27, 2014– In late October 1975, when the National Security Agency faced an earlier scandal regarding its eavesdropping on Americans, the director of the time, Air Force General Lew Allen, was required to testify before a Senate committee investigating U.S. intelligence. President Gerald R. Ford insisted that his White House staff go through the Allen testimony before he gave it. Political aides did so with a fine-tooth comb and made various changes. The NSA knew it would be asked about the eavesdropping. Extracted from the White House paperwork, this page shows the NSA’s own proposed language for re-assuring Americans.

For anyone who doesn’t think we’ve been here before–note the language. Its form and promises are exactly what we’ve been hearing from U.S. intelligence officials for the past year.