Epstein Secrets

efense was what Snowden did with the second set afer his meetings with the journalists in Hong Kong. Did he take these documents with him to Russia? Shevardnadze, who makes it a point to drill her interviewees, pressed Kucherena as to whether Snowden still had these NSA files, or “material” in Russia. The dial

ppened to Wang Lijun, a well- connected police chief in China. In February 2012, Wang, walked into at the US consulate in Chengdu asking from asylum. The State Department decided against it. After Wang left US protection, he was arrested for corruption and received a 15 year prison sentence. Such decisions about walk-i

essed an interest in obtaining some form of amnesty from prosecution in America. Wizner was willing to attempt to explore making a possible deal with the Department of Justice, but it would not be an easy task, especially if Snowden had turned over NSA documents to a foreign power. Even to argue that Snowden was merely a N

tions intelligence and the NSA fulfilled them. As the Cold War heated up in the 1960s, the NSA provided intelligence not only to the Pentagon but to the Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency, the Treasury Department, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the FBI. With a multi-billion dollar “black budget” hidden f

nterview with Kucherena was a coup because, until then, he had not discussed Snowden in a television interview. About halfway through the interview, Shevardnadze brought up the highly sensitive subject of the disposition of the NSA docu- ments. If anyone was in a position to know about these documents, it was

cy, there were six government employees who, as a matter of personal conscience, shared classified informa- tion they obtained from the FBI, the CIA, the State Department, and the U.S. Army with journalists. They were all convicted: Sha- mai Leibowitz in 2010, Chelsea Manning in 2013, John Kiriakou in 2013, Donald Sach

the service providers. It also required a written directive from both the attorney general and the director of national intelligence and a review by the Department of Justice every three months for each and every case. After obtain- ing this data, the NSA ran programs, as required by law, to filter out all domestic Interne

nce Expert Guilty of Espionage,” Chicago Tribune, June 6, 1986. CHAPTER 26 The Handler 261 “As for [Snowden’s] communication”: Kucherena interview, Shevardnadze, “Snowden Believes He Did Everything Right.” 261 learned from a Russian researcher: Vassili Sonkine, interview with author. 261 When I had been inv

US regulations, per- sons with felony arrest warrants are subject to having their passport revoked.” That arrest warrant was issued on June 14, 2013. The State Department Opera- tions Center alert said “Snowden’s U.S. passport was revoked on June 22, 2013,” after the Justice Department unsealed the charges that had bee

l, “The Private Equity Firm That Grew Too Fast,” New York Times, April 24, 2015. 214 USIS had prematurely closed: Tom Hamburger and Debbi Wilgoren, “Justice Department Says USIS Submitted 665,000 Incomplete Background Checks,” Washington Post, Jan. 23, 2014. 214 USIS was also open to: Ellen Nakashima, “DHS Contrac

sitive for journalists. So I sought to find out from Kucherena which documents Snowden had taken to Russia. I went about it in a roundabout way. When Shevardnadze asked him about the secret material Snowden had might reveal in Russia, Kucherena pointedly called her attention to Snowden’s CIA service, suggesting

e Department revoked...”- Author’s interview with a former member of the National Security staff who cited State Department records. Also, Jen Psaki, the State Department spokeswoman, told AP "As is routine and consistent with US regulations, persons with felony arrest warrants are subject to having their passport revo

l, “The Private Equity Firm That Grew Too Fast,” New York Times, April 24, 2015 “USIS had prematurely closed...”-- Tom Hamburger and Debbi Wilgoren, “Justice Department says USIS submitted 665,000 incomplete background checks,” Washington Post, January 23, 2014 “USIS was also opened to...”-- Ellen Nakashima, “DHS co

sitive for journalists. So I wanted to find out from Kucherena which documents Snowden had taken to Russia. I went about it in a roundabout way. When Shevardnadze asked him about the secret material Snowden might reveal in Russia, Kucher- ena pointedly called her attention to Snowden’s CIA service, suggest- ing

intelligence targets for the NSA to pursue. As the Cold War heated up in the 1960s, the NSA provided intel- ligence not only to the Pentagon but to the Department of State, the | | Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.indd 199 @ 9/30/16 8:13AM | | HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019687 200 | HOW AMERICA LOST ITS SECRETS Central Intelligenc