TAMM, Thomas

Thomas M. Tamm is a former Department of Justice attorney who became a crucial whistleblower in exposing the National Security Agency's warrantless domestic surveillance program following the September 11 attacks. His decision to contact journalists about the program's legal violations contributed to one of the most significant national security reporting stories of the early 21st century.

While working as a prosecutor in the Justice Department's Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (OIPR) in 2004, Tamm learned about NSA surveillance activities that appeared to bypass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court system. The FISA court was established in 1978 to approve electronic surveillance of Americans suspected of espionage or terrorism, but the NSA program was conducting surveillance without obtaining the required warrants.

Concerned about the constitutional implications of warrantless surveillance of American citizens, Tamm made an anonymous phone call to *New York Times* reporter Eric Lichtblau in early 2004. He provided information about the existence of the program without revealing classified details, hoping to prompt journalistic investigation into what he believed were serious legal violations.

Tamm's tip contributed to the December 2005 *New York Times* article by James Risen and Eric Lichtblau that revealed the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program. The story won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting and sparked congressional investigations, legal challenges, and national debates about the balance between national security and civil liberties.

In 2007, Tamm publicly revealed his identity as a source for the story during an interview with *Newsweek* magazine, acknowledging the personal and professional risks of his decision. Although he faced FBI investigation and potential prosecution under the Espionage Act, he was never charged with a crime. Tamm's case highlighted the challenges faced by government employees who observe potential legal violations in classified programs.