by Coleen Rowley. More than a few bizarre aspects jumped out at me when I attended the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on October 2. Instead of providing needed oversight of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in light of shocking…
Category: commentaries
Colbert Report: “Ed Snowden has ruined the President’s surprise”
[Updated 8/18] The August 16 edition of the Colbert Report covered President Obama’s recent communications about NSA surveillance programs. Appearing August 6 on Jay Leno’s late-night television program, the President told viewers, “There is no spying on Americans. We don’t…
You may be a whistleblower and not know it
The public image of a whistleblower is of an employee who witnesses wrongdoing and takes the information public. Subsequently, the world comes crashing down on them as their employer retaliates. But, that’s not always how it plays out. Some workers…
Video shows NSA Director Alexander denying reports of now-confirmed domestic surveillance
A video broadcast by Democracy Now! argues for some house cleaning at the intelligence agencies, starting at the top. The video shows National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander denying the existence of domestic surveillance programs revealed by Edward Snowden, the…
Colbert: Who was Bradley Manning spying for?
This week, a judge declared Army whistleblower Bradley Manning “not guilty” this week of “aiding the enemy,” the most serious charge against him. But, the judge also found Manning “guilty” of violating that Espionage Act. Comedian Stephen Colbert analyzes the…
AG Holder tells Russians Edward Snowden would not be executed or tortured
Attorney General Eric Holder has written the Russian government to allege that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is not entitled to asylum. In a July 23 letter, Holder was dismissive of fears that Snowden would be tortured or executed.
Justice Department decides to have another go at Robert MacLean
[Updated 8/30/13] The Department of Homeland Security’s attorneys filed an appeal late Wednesday of a unanimous panel of three U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit judges in the case of whistleblower Robert MacLean, formerly an air marshal with the Transportation Security…
Coleen Rowley: James Comey “hedged” on questions at confirmation hearing
Former FBI special agent Coleen Rowley, appearing this morning on Democracy Now!, commented on the Senate confirmation hearing for James Comey, nominated by President Obama to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Coleen Rowley has some questions for James Comey
In a July 8 op-ed for the New York Times, FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley questioned the appropriateness of President Obama’s nomination of James B. Comey to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She pointed out that Comey, despite initial reluctance, eventually did…
Who is Edward Snowden? He’s “Condor.”
Something about Edward Snowden struck me as familiar. Had we crossed paths somewhere? We had, after all, lived in the same small town. Not until I recalled a Sydney Pollack spy thriller did an explanation emerge.