Technically not, they just had secret courts rubber stamp for them.

In the most technical sense it's legal though of course it subverts the entire idea of the justice system by having a court in your pocket.

Wrong.[1][2] And what law and court do you believe authorized James Clapper to lie to Congress?

[1] https://www.vox.com/2015/5/7/8567089/nsa-patriot-act-ruling

[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nsa-b...