“The government must give proper weight to both keeping America safe from terrorists and protecting Americans' privacy. But when Americans lack the most basic information about our domestic surveillance programs, they have no way of knowing whether we're getting that balance right. This lack of transparency is a big problem.”

American politician, comedian, screenwriter, and actor

Al Franken is an American politician, comedian, screenwriter, and actor. Born Alan Stuart Franken, he served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 until his resignation in 2018. Before entering politics, he worked in entertainment and appeared on television and in film. He is known for moving from comedy and screenwriting into public office, and for his long career across both media and politics.