James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence, lied to the Senate in March, 2013, when he testified that the N.S.A. was not gathering data on millions of Americans. This is now known to be false.
Senator Wyden: “Does the N.S.A. collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?”
Clapper: “No, sir. Not wittingly.”
Officials routinely receive their questions in advance to prepare their answers, so he knew this question was coming. Afterward, Wyden gave him a chance to correct his statement and he did not.