HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019769.jpg
1.63 MB
Extraction Summary
6
People
6
Organizations
1
Locations
2
Events
2
Relationships
2
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Book page proof / manuscript (house oversight committee document)
File Size:
1.63 MB
Summary
This document appears to be a page (281) from a book manuscript, likely 'How America Lost Its Secrets' by Edward Jay Epstein (inferred from the filename 'Epst' and ISBN 9780451494566), bearing a House Oversight Committee stamp. The text analyzes Edward Snowden's motivations, arguing that he sought fame rather than just whistleblower status, as evidenced by his refusal to remain anonymous despite offers from editors and his specific request for Laura Poitras to film him. It details the timeline of his communications with journalists Gellman, Greenwald, and Poitras in 2013.
People (6)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Edward Snowden | Subject/Whistleblower |
Former NSA employee who leaked documents; text analyzes his motivations for seeking fame versus anonymity.
|
| Bradley Manning | Whistleblower |
Cited as a comparison for someone who leaked documents anonymously.
|
| Bart Gellman | Journalist |
Received the PRISM scoop from Snowden.
|
| Glenn Greenwald | Journalist |
Received documents from Snowden; met Snowden in Hong Kong.
|
| Laura Poitras | Documentary Filmmaker/Journalist |
Filmed Snowden; received documents; chosen by Snowden for her filmmaking skills.
|
| Ewen MacAskill | Editor |
Guardian editor who suggested Snowden remain anonymous.
|
Organizations (6)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| NSA |
National Security Agency; Snowden's employer.
|
|
| The Post |
Washington Post; published the PRISM scoop.
|
|
| The Guardian |
Newspaper involved in publishing the leaks.
|
|
| Vanity Fair |
Magazine that interviewed Ewen MacAskill.
|
|
| FBI |
Launched criminal investigation into the leaks.
|
|
| House Oversight Committee |
Entity associated with the document stamp 'HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019769'.
|
Timeline (2 events)
Locations (1)
| Location | Context |
|---|---|
|
Location where Snowden met Greenwald and gave his reasoning for going public.
|
Relationships (2)
Snowden chose her because she was a prizewinning documentary filmmaker and wanted her to film him.
Snowden sent documents to Greenwald and met him in Hong Kong.
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (2,418 characters)
Snowden's Choices | 281
need for him to expose himself in this way. If he merely wanted to
be a whistle-blower, he could have, as Bradley Manning did, anony-
mously sent the documents to journalists as "Citizen Four." In fact,
in late May 2013, that was exactly what he did. He anonymously
sent Gellman the PRISM scoop, which the Post published on June 6.
He also sent Greenwald and Poitras documents while he was still
the anonymous Citizen Four. Neither Gellman nor Greenwald had
suggested the need for a face-to-face meeting with Snowden. Even
after he had revealed his true identity to Poitras and Greenwald on
June 3, the Guardian editor Ewen MacAskill offered him the option
of remaining an unnamed source for the stories. He said, as he later
told Vanity Fair, "You should remain anonymous; the stories are
just as good without you." However, anonymity was not part of
Snowden's long game.
be a whistle-blower, he could have, as Bradley Manning did, anony-
mously sent the documents to journalists as "Citizen Four." In fact,
in late May 2013, that was exactly what he did. He anonymously
sent Gellman the PRISM scoop, which the Post published on June 6.
He also sent Greenwald and Poitras documents while he was still
the anonymous Citizen Four. Neither Gellman nor Greenwald had
suggested the need for a face-to-face meeting with Snowden. Even
after he had revealed his true identity to Poitras and Greenwald on
June 3, the Guardian editor Ewen MacAskill offered him the option
of remaining an unnamed source for the stories. He said, as he later
told Vanity Fair, "You should remain anonymous; the stories are
just as good without you." However, anonymity was not part of
Snowden's long game.
The reason he gave Greenwald in Hong Kong for going public in
this way was to avoid having any suspicion fall on his co-workers at
the NSA. Yet in the initial stories published by Greenwald, Poitras,
and Gellman, Snowden had not allowed the reporters to identify him
by either name or position. If he did not act to deflect suspicion from
his co-workers for the initial investigation, why do it a week later?
In the intervening week, the FBI had already launched its criminal
investigation. In any case, he did not need to be the subject of a docu-
mentary film to take sole responsibility for stealing state secrets. He
could have simply allowed Greenwald to identify him by name as
the source in the stories.
this way was to avoid having any suspicion fall on his co-workers at
the NSA. Yet in the initial stories published by Greenwald, Poitras,
and Gellman, Snowden had not allowed the reporters to identify him
by either name or position. If he did not act to deflect suspicion from
his co-workers for the initial investigation, why do it a week later?
In the intervening week, the FBI had already launched its criminal
investigation. In any case, he did not need to be the subject of a docu-
mentary film to take sole responsibility for stealing state secrets. He
could have simply allowed Greenwald to identify him by name as
the source in the stories.
One thing that Snowden could not accomplish by anonymously
transferring the documents to journalists was a starring role in the
drama. If he had appeared digitally masked in Poitras's video with
an altered voice, he would not achieve fame. To do that, he needed to
allow Poitras to film him committing the crime of turning over NSA
documents to Greenwald. This video was also part of his advance
planning. Indeed, one reason he chose Poitras was that she was a
prizewinning documentary filmmaker. Snowden, while he was still
working at the NSA in March 2013, made it clear how he intended
to use Poitras's filmmaking skills. He told her, "My personal desire is
that you paint the target directly on my back." Making himself the
transferring the documents to journalists was a starring role in the
drama. If he had appeared digitally masked in Poitras's video with
an altered voice, he would not achieve fame. To do that, he needed to
allow Poitras to film him committing the crime of turning over NSA
documents to Greenwald. This video was also part of his advance
planning. Indeed, one reason he chose Poitras was that she was a
prizewinning documentary filmmaker. Snowden, while he was still
working at the NSA in March 2013, made it clear how he intended
to use Poitras's filmmaking skills. He told her, "My personal desire is
that you paint the target directly on my back." Making himself the
Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.indd 281 9/30/16 8:13 AM
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019769
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019769
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