December, 17 2013, 12:09pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Douglas Kim, GAP External Relations Officer
Phone: 917.907.4394
Email: douglask@whistleblower.org
Snowden Whistleblower Status Confirmed by Ruling on Unconstitutional Bulk Phone Data Collection
US District Court Judge Richard Leon has declared that the bulk phone record collection activities of the National Security Agency (NSA) are likely in violation of the Constitution's ban on unreasonable search. The very first of its kind, the 68-page legal opinion is highly critical of the constitutionality, and even the effectiveness, of the NSA's bulk data collection program.
WASHINGTON
US District Court Judge Richard Leon has declared that the bulk phone record collection activities of the National Security Agency (NSA) are likely in violation of the Constitution's ban on unreasonable search. The very first of its kind, the 68-page legal opinion is highly critical of the constitutionality, and even the effectiveness, of the NSA's bulk data collection program.
This ruling significantly bolsters the claim of whistleblower status by federal contractor Edward Snowden, who disclosed NSA mass surveillance programs after he perceived these programs to be in violation of the Constitution's fourth amendment and was, consequently, charged with two counts of espionage in a criminal complaint in mid-June.
"There can be no doubt Edward Snowden is a whistleblower," commented Government Accountability Project (GAP) Executive Director Beatrice Edwards. "Despite highly disingenuous claims to the contrary, whistleblowers in the intelligence community have no protections whatsoever. There are no safe internal channels for someone like Mr. Snowden who seeks to disclose illegality."
Judge Leon's highly critical opinion goes even further by concluding the government didn't cite a single instance in which the program actually stopped an imminent terrorist attack. "I have serious doubts about the efficacy of the metadata collection program as a means of conducting time-sensitive investigations in cases involving imminent threats of terrorism."
In a statement provided to reporter Glenn Greenwald, Snowden reacted to this latest ruling:
I acted on my belief that the NSA's mass surveillance programs would not withstand a constitutional challenge and that the American public deserved a chance to see these issues determined by open courts. Today, a secret program authorized by a secret court was, when exposed to the light of day, found to violate Americans' rights. It is the first of many.
The Government Accountability Project champions government and corporate accountability and transparency by defending whistleblowers and advancing occupational free speech. Since its founding in 1977, GAP has helped in the effective exercise of conscience of over 5,000 whistleblowers.
The Government Accountability Project (GAP) is a 30-year-old nonprofit public interest group that promotes government and corporate accountability by advancing occupational free speech, defending whistleblowers, and empowering citizen activists. We pursue this mission through our Nuclear Safety, International Reform, Corporate Accountability, Food & Drug Safety, and Federal Employee/National Security programs. GAP is the nation's leading whistleblower protection organization.
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