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Mandates given to two new agencies and the definitions they rely on are so broad that abuse of their spying capabilities is almost a foregone conclusion, writes Jane Duncan.
Pa andrea mitchell has more on this. >> reporter: paul whelan is in solitary confinement inside this notorious moscow jail. his russian lawyer telling u.s. media he's been officially charged with espionage. the ex-marine would have come to the attention of russian intelligence because unlike most american visitors he was active on a russian social network site. whelan was arrested while meeting in this moscow hotel with a russian citizen, allegedly receiving a thumb drive containing the names of security agency employees. his twin brother says he was there for a wedding. >> he definitely would...
He definitely wouldn't do anything to break the laws. and i can't imagine that he would have broken spy laws. in any country, let alone in russia. >> that was the twin brother of an american being detained in russia on espionage charges. u.s. ambassador john huntsman was allowed to visit paul whelan today and offered the embassy's support. whelan is accused of spying but the kremlin hasn't offered any details on what led to his arrest. wheel sn a former marine whose family says he was in moscow for a friend's wedding. but the timing of the arrest is raising flags for u.s. intelligence official...
11th hour" continues. there's no way that paul is a spy. he definitely wouldn't do anything to break the laws. and i can't imagine that he would have broken spy laws. in any country, let alone in russia. >> that was the twin brother of an american being detained in russia on espionage charges. u.s. ambassador john huntsman was allowed to visit paul whelan today and offered the embassy's support. whelan is accused of spying but the kremlin hasn't offered any details about what led to his arrest. >> whalen is a former marine whose family says he was in moscow for a friend's wedding. but the ti...
For leverage for maria butina, the russian woman who recently pleaded guilty for failure to arrest a former agent. paul's brother said he was innocent is was in moscow for personal reasons. >> there is no way paul is a spy. he definitely wouldn't do anything to break the laws, and i can't imagine he would have broken spy laws in any country, let alone russia. >> secretary of state mike pompeo said this morning he will demand whelan's immediate return if he finds the detention is not appropriate. we'll be right back with democratic senator joe manchin. supervisor. now i'm a director at a secu...