SNOWDEN to Vanity Fair: "There is evidence (e-mails) that I made my concerns known to NSA's lawyers"

[kpete]

Snowden writes to Vanity Fair about the N.S.A.’s allegations that he never filed a formal complaint (and directly challenges it to deny he contacted internal oversight); about why he’s not a spy; about what he calls the “post-terror generation”’s views on defending the Constitution; about the crucial ways in which he differs from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange; about his amusement at being labeled a right-winger; and more.

Among the highlights of Snowden’s response:

Snowden challenges allegations that he never filed a formal complaint about the N.S.A. to internal oversight and compliance bodies: N.S.A. deputy director Rick Ledgett, who led the internal investigation of Snowden, claimed Snowden made no formal complaints. And if he complained personally to anyone, Ledgett tells Vanity Fair, he or she has not acknowledged it.

In response to this claim, Snowden replies, “The N.S.A. at this point not only knows I raised complaints, but that there is evidence that I made my concerns known to the N.S.A.’s lawyers, because I did some of it through e-mail. I directly challenge the N.S.A. to deny that I contacted N.S.A. oversight and compliance bodies directly via e-mail and that I specifically expressed concerns about their suspect interpretation of the law, and I welcome members of Congress to request a written answer to this question (from the N.S.A.).”

When asked about his initial reaction to the revelation that Snowden was the leak, Ledgett tells Vanity Fair there was a personal sense of betrayal, stating, “It was like getting kicked in the stomach.”

VIDEO & MORE:
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2014/04/edward-snowden-interview

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Well, now.

One of the most frequent charges from the 'He's a traitor!' brigade has been that he never tried to go through 'channels' to be a whistleblower. It would be quite a blow to their line of reasoning if he turns out to have tried to do so, and only gone on to more extreme means if the 'channels' refused to let him 'go through them'.

[msanthrope]

4. Does he have any evidence he did so? You'd think he might have kept copies while

stealing 1.7 million documents. Not for anything, but I don't find it credible that he has no evidence of his complaints.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. I don't know if he does or not.

But if he does, I imagine he'll release them when he feels they'll be most damning. Perhaps right after the gov't goes on record as saying they didn't exist. He seems to enjoy leaking out proof that the NSA is lying after they decide to lie publicly about something.

[msanthrope]

7. The NSA already said he didn't file a formal complaint. If he's got evidence that disputes that, he

should post it.

[ProSense]

2. Seems like

In response to this claim, Snowden replies, “The N.S.A. at this point not only knows I raised complaints, but that there is evidence that I made my concerns known to the N.S.A.’s lawyers, because I did some of it through e-mail. I directly challenge the N.S.A. to deny that I contacted N.S.A. oversight and compliance bodies directly via e-mail and that I specifically expressed concerns about their suspect interpretation of the law, and I welcome members of Congress to request a written answer to this question (from the N.S.A.).”

...Snowden is continuing to shift his story in a desperate attempt to establish himself as a legitimate whistleblower. Guess he's getting tired of life in Russia.

[msanthrope]

3. So publish the emails, Eddie! Otherwise, bullshit. nt

[Whisp]

6. Then show the emails, you wanker. Took you this long for this other phoney story?

He's still not showing the President's email he said he could get into.

Moscow Eddie is a fake.