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Snowden got a job handling classified material. The government only trusted him to handle that material because he signed various contracts that said he would k

Snowden got a job handling classified material. The government only trusted him to handle that material because he signed various contracts that said he would keep the material secret and that he would allow the NSA to read anything he wanted to publish so they could be sure he didn’t accidentally leak something (and, potentially, so they could plan for damage control). This lawsuit is not actually about publishing classified material, but about not giving the NSA a chance to read his book before it was published. Since that’s a contract interpretation issue, and since there’s a law specifically making this contract legal, and since it’s a civil lawsuit (e.g., he can’t go to jail because of this particular lawsuit), I believe the government has a very strong leg to stand on. I’m not saying this is what the law should allow. But I don’t expect the court to rule this law unconstitutional.

geggam 7y ago
I believe the whistleblower act does cover this contract as is mentioned elsewhere turning this lawsuit into retaliation by the govt thus illegal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower_Protection_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower_Protection_Act
cwkoss 7y ago
The most fundamental part of his job was to uphold the US constitution. After numerous attempts to stop the constitutional violations of the NSA from within, he chose to uphold the constitution rather than the orders of unelected power hungry spooks. Frankly, hundreds if not thousands of people within the NSA deserve to be charged with treason. I would be shocked if this actually happened, though.
- chii 7y ago
  Upholding the constitution is not a citizen's job. It is the supreme court's. You can invoke your constitutional rights as a citizen,but you don't get to enforce it on behalf of somebody else, nor do you as an individual, decide what action constitutes a violation.
  - cwkoss 7y ago
    Upholding the constitution is absolutely the job of public servants, which is why our country makes them take an oath. Not sure why you think otherwise. CIA, NSA, Senators, all take this oath: “I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3331 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3331
    - geggam 7y ago
      Dont forget the 20 million + veterans in the US who have also taken that oath.
- lern_too_spel 7y ago
  > After numerous attempts to stop the constitutional violations of the NSA from within When did Snowden try to stop phone metadata collection from within?

geggam 7y ago

I believe the whistleblower act does cover this contract as is mentioned elsewhere turning this lawsuit into retaliation by the govt thus illegal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower_Protection_Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistleblower_Protection_Act

cwkoss 7y ago

The most fundamental part of his job was to uphold the US constitution. After numerous attempts to stop the constitutional violations of the NSA from within, he chose to uphold the constitution rather than the orders of unelected power hungry spooks. Frankly, hundreds if not thousands of people within the NSA deserve to be charged with treason. I would be shocked if this actually happened, though.

chii 7y ago
Upholding the constitution is not a citizen's job. It is the supreme court's. You can invoke your constitutional rights as a citizen,but you don't get to enforce it on behalf of somebody else, nor do you as an individual, decide what action constitutes a violation.
- cwkoss 7y ago
  Upholding the constitution is absolutely the job of public servants, which is why our country makes them take an oath. Not sure why you think otherwise. CIA, NSA, Senators, all take this oath: “I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3331 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3331
  - geggam 7y ago
    Dont forget the 20 million + veterans in the US who have also taken that oath.
lern_too_spel 7y ago
> After numerous attempts to stop the constitutional violations of the NSA from within When did Snowden try to stop phone metadata collection from within?