Secret Ruling: Fed Wiretap Plan Illegal Judge halted key overseas eavesdropping months ago By Peter Fearon Posted Aug 3, 2007 6:26 AM CDT Copied House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, concludes a briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, April 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press) In a secret decision earlier this year a federal intelligence court judge ruled that a key element of the White House's massive wiretapping program was illegal, the Washington Post reports. The decision blocked NSA information collection from a large number of phone calls and emails that pass through two locations overseas before being routed through the US. Lawmakers from both parties have been pushing legislation to expand the president's spying powers to reopen the taps. "There's been a ruling that prohibits the ability of our intelligence services from listening in to two terrorists in other parts of the world," House minority leader John Boehner revealed in a TV appearance this week. The White House has maintained its controversial program is legal. Read These Next New Fox star, 23, misses first day after car troubles. White House rolls with Trump's 'daddy' nickname. Supreme Court ruling is a big blow to Planned Parenthood. Man accused of killing his daughters might be dead. Report an error