NSA Releases Email From Snowden, Says He's Lying

Agency says it can find just one, and it was relatively technical
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 29, 2014 5:03 PM CDT
NSA Releases Email From Snowden, Says He's Lying
In this image taken from video provided by NBC News on Tuesday, May 27, 2014, Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, speaks to NBC News anchor Brian Williams during an NBC Exclusive interview. Snowden told Williams that he worked undercover and overseas for the CIA and the...   (AP Photo/NBC News)

In his recent interview with NBC, Edward Snowden reiterated that he raised concerns with his superiors at the NSA and went to the media only after getting brushed off. But the NSA today is disputing that, saying that it can find only one email from Snowden, on a relatively technical matter, reports Wired. "The e-mail did not raise allegations or concerns about wrongdoing or abuse, but posed a legal question that the Office of General Counsel addressed," says an agency statement. It adds that Snowden could have aired his worries via "numerous avenues," but “we have searched for additional indications of outreach from him in those areas and to date have not discovered any engagements related to his claims.”

Nonsense, says Snowden's legal adviser from the ACLU. “Snowden raised many complaints over many channels,” says Ben Wizner. “The NSA is releasing a single part of a single exchange after previously claiming that no evidence existed.” You can read the newly released email in full here. In it, Snowden asks for clarification on whether executive orders issued by the president supersede laws. A government lawyer responds that Snowden is correct in his observation that "E.O.s cannot override a statute." After addressing another matter, the lawyer ends with, "Please give me a call if you would like to discuss further," notes AP. This may not settle much of anything, but at least "Snowden's claim and the NSA's response are now good material for his next interview," observes a post at Mother Jones. (More Edward Snowden stories.)

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