Hoover began using wiretapping in the 1920s during Prohibition to arrest bootleggers. In the 1927 case Olmstead v. United States, in which a bootlegger was caught through telephone tapping, the United States Supreme Court ruled that FBI wiretaps did not violate the Fourth Amendment as unlawful search and seizure, as long as the FBI did not break into a person's home to complete the tapping. After Prohibition's repeal, Congress passed the Communications Act of 1934, which outlawed non-consensual phone tapping, but allowed bugging. In the 1939 case Nardone v. United States, the court ruled that due to the 1934 law, evidence the FBI obtained by phone tapping was inadmissible in court. After the 1967 case Katz v. United States overturned the 1927 case that had allowed bugging, Congress passed the Omnibus Crime Control Act, allowing public authorities to tap telephones during investigations as long as they obtain a warrant beforehand. COUNT 10
QSN1 What tool did Hoover use to find bootleggers? ANS1 wiretapping QSN2 In what supreme court case was it ruled that FBI wiretaps did not violate the Fourth Amendment? ANS2 Olmstead v. United States QSN3 What Act did Congress pass to outlaw non-consensual phone tapping? ANS3 Communications Act of 1934 QSN4 In what case was it ruled that evidence obtained by the FBI via wiretapping was inadmissible in court? ANS4 Nardone v. United States QSN5 What is now necessary to tap someone's telephone? ANS5 a warrant QSN6 Which president was the first to use wiretaps to find bootleggers? ANS6 Hoover QSN7 What case centered around a bootlegger caught through phone tapping? ANS7 Olmstead v. United States QSN8 What did Congress pass to outlaw phone tapping? ANS8 Communications Act of 1934 QSN9 What is now required to wire tap a citizen? ANS9 a warrant QSN10 Is a warrant required before or after a wiretap? ANS10 beforehand