The report said Snowden did not, as he claimed, try to express his concerns about potentially illegal intelligence gathering in a way that would qualify him as a whistleblower.
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This report just came one day ahead of the release of a film by Oliver Stone based on the true story of Snowden entitled after his name. NPR’s David Welna reports.
But other documents provided to reporters disclosed details that led, for instance, to the shuttering of what Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper described as “the single most important source of force protection and warning for our people in Afghanistan”.
“A close review of Snowden’s official employment records and submissions reveals a pattern of intentional lying”, the report said.
Fifth, and finally, the report blasts the NSA for not doing anything, three years after the fact, to better protect its systems.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt speaks in a voice that tries to duplicate the real Edward Snowden’s deep, monotonous tone, and it didn’t work for me – to the point of being a distraction.
WELNA: Here are a few of the facts laid out in the summary.
Snowden says that he “could go on”, but instead condemns the report outright, and urges people to watch the Oliver Stone film about his final months at the NSA, and his leak, which comes out this week.
The report added that the government has already spent “hundreds of millions of dollars” in attempting to mitigate the damage, and that this is likely to run into “billions” in time. It also portrays Snowden as a disgruntled employee, saying he had a, quote, “workplace spat” with NASA managers two weeks before he began taking those documents.
Snowden supporters argue that a pardon would provide Obama an excellent way to acknowledge the problems of America’s sprawling intelligence operations as well as Snowden’s role defending American democratic rights.
ADAM SCHIFF: It really refutes a lot of the contentions that Snowden has been making and the public relations campaign about his background, about his motivations.
The report also indicated that the vast majority of the documents he stole were defense secrets that had nothing to do with privacy.
“Snowden’s revelations shocked the world and made it very clear why we need to have some way to look over those who look over us”.
‘I will be voting, ‘ Snowden said today, speaking at a conference in Athens by video link from Moscow.
Republican candidate Donald Trump has called Snowden “a awful guy”, adding, “you know there is still a thing called execution”. “We hope Mr. Obama has a stroke of lightning, and he sees the way”.
He continues: “I was very happy to learn Oliver Stone had decided to make a film about Edward Snowden and believe this is a powerful and inspiring film”.
Although the 36-page report is classified, officials released a shorter, unclassified version on Thursday a day ahead of Friday’s USA premier of an Oliver Stone drama based on the 33-year-old contractor’s exploits.
“Edward Snowden is no hero – he’s a traitor who willfully betrayed his colleagues and his country”, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said.
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ROONEY: He was, like, this little guy fighting this behemoth of oppressive government when that’s not at all what it was. But, you know, I guess it makes for good, uh, cinema.
