NSA broke the law

[BikerDude]

So the question is where does this leave Snowden.
I don't see how he could be charged with anything since what he did was essentially report illegal activity.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102650320

Federal appeals court says NSA phone records program illegal
CNBC.com staff   | @CNBC
33 Mins AgoBreaking News
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A federal appeals court has ruled that the National Security Agency's program of collecting billions of telephones records is not permitted by the Patriot Act.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals, in ACLU vs. Clapper, said a lower court was wrong in ruling that the Patriot Act, as written, precluded a court from reviewing the NSA program.

"Because we find that the program exceeds the scope of what Congress has authorized, we vacate the decision below dismissing the complaint without reaching appellants'constitutional arguments," Judge Gerard Lynch wrote for the court.

The court did not address the question of whether the program violated peoples' rights ,because the issue was made moot by the finding the program was not allowed in the first place.

This story is developing. Please check back for further updates.

[DigitalBuddha]

So the question is where does this leave Snowden.
I don't see how he could be charged with anything since what he did was essentially report illegal activity.

Fuckin' eh right!

[LotsaBadKarma]

He won't get charged with anything, he'll just disappear. He doesn't have to be home to do that.

[jgiffin]

Just a quick couple points before I die of apoplexy (a very un-dudely way to go) over this. (1) The Court found the NSA's actions had no legal basis but DIDN'T order the NSA to stop doing it because, well, you know, it's been going on for years and the law the NSA said allowed it (but didn't) is about to expire so let's punt this mess to Congress because it always fixes stuff. (2) The Court avoided ruling on manifest Constitutional violations in favor of a strictly procedural ruling because, duh, the thing was written seven hundred years ago and has nothing to do with the fascist crap we want to do now.

As to Snowden, it will have no impact. Noam Chomsky rightly pointed out: "Reigning doctrines are often called a 'double standard.' The term is misleading. It is more accurate to describe them as a single standard, clear and unmistakable, the standard that Adam Smith called the 'vile maxim of the masters of mankind. . . All for ourselves, and nothing for other people.' Much has changed since his day, but the vile maxim flourishes." He bucked the system. The system can't abide that.

[BikerDude]

No matter what they do it will continue.
Personally I'm suspicious about a LOT of the cyber attacks that come from overseas.
They could easily be domestic surveillance from a remote location.
And they could also be commercial entities involved in sabotage.
Take for instance the sudden cyber attack against Target at the height of the Christmas shopping season and the subsequent warnings.
Personally I'd suspect Walmart.
Sounds kind of funny but you know it's like Lenin said, look for the person who will
benefit.  And you will, uh, you know, you'll, uh, you know what I'm trying to say.

They have deep pockets and I'm sure there are plenty of rug pissers willing to sling some paraquat for the right price.