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King: Rand Paul Creating NSA 'Hysteria'

Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) criticized Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) for creating "hysteria" about the National Security Agency Monday on Morning Joe.

"I strongly support what the NSA is doing," he said. "We can have honest differences about what their policies are, but what Rand Paul is creating is hysteria. When Rand Paul is comparing Gen. Clapper to [Edward] Snowden, saying Clapper belongs in jail with Snowden, talking about all phone calls are being listened to, create this paranoia among Americans that the NSA is spying on everyone, the fact IS he has not been able to cite one abuse by the NSA."

Paul, a libertarian, has been one of the NSA's fiercest critics and announced Friday he would lead a class-action lawsuit against the agency regarding some of its controversial programs.

King also blasted Paul on Fox News Sunday, saying Paul did not deserve to be a U.S. Senator and was spreading unwarranted fear among Americans. On Monday, Joe Scarborough followed up by asking King why he thought Paul would create an illusion about mass spying.

"It's the same reason he was saying he was worried about the CIA using drones to kill Americans in Starbucks," King said. "He's playing on some sort of scare-mongering isolationism, and rather than using intelligent arguments as people could well do, he's resorting to fear. He's appealing to the lowest common denominator, and I find that very offensive."