Epstein Secrets

tras’s film was called Stellarwind. It involved data mining domestic communications and financial transactions that had been authorized by President George W. Bush in 2001 after 9/11 as commander-in- chief under the war powers given to him following the attacks. It indeed led to a major exposé on domestic spying

tates.” In fact, as Snowden knew from the Inspector General report he had read, the NSA had terminated Stellarwind almost a decade earlier. President Bush ended it after top officials of the Justice @ Department insisted that he did not have the legal authority for the @ domestic part of Stellarwind. In

d terminated Stellarwind almost a decade earlier. President Bush ended it after top officials of the Justice @ Dep

ions that had been authorized by President George W. Bush in 2001 after 9/11 as commander-in- chief un

. It did not change that decision even after it found out about his subterfuge. According to Admiral McConnell, Snowden never actually worked in the Booz Allen offices, which are housed in a skyscraper in downtown Honolulu. Instead, he was immediately assigned to work at the NSA’s highly sensitive National T

t networks. @ Following the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, the surveillance of the Internet became an integral part of the Bush administration’s war on terrorism. In October 2001, Con- gress expanded the NSA’s mandate by passing the USA Patriot Act. As I described earlier, Sec

hat had been provided to Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. Even more shocking, in tr

lso be targeted in enemy ter- ritories. Although repairing the damage might take many “decades,” according to Michael McConnell, the vice-chairman of Booz Allen, the new director had to get on with that task. McConnell, a for- | | Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.indd 207 @ 9/30/16 8:13AM | | HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_01

ntruthful about his degree in computer sciences, he not only had a SCI secu- rity clearance but was willing to take a cut in pay. In keeping with the Booz Allen business plan, such a recruit provided another cog in its profit machine. Not only had the NSA outsourced much of its computer opera- | | Epst_9780

hree American Presidents, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Even more shocking, in tra

ernment networks. Following the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, the surveillance of the Internet also became an integral part of Bush’ administration’s war on terrorism. In October 2001, Congress expanded the NSA’s mandate by passing the USA Patriot Act. Section 215 of the act direc

have access to the Level 3 documents stored in these compartments. Nor, as was discussed earlier, was he given access to them when he transferred to Booz Allen because he had not completed the requisite training. Snowden had also, it will be recalled, relinquished his privileges as a system administrator wh

interest in exposing the NSA’s secrets, this person could supply him with the necessary guidance, steering a still unsuspecting Snowden first to the Booz Allen position and afterwards to his associates in Hong Kong. By taking sole credit for the coup in the video that he made with Poitras and Greenwald in Ho

ing by the New York Times in December 2005. After President Bush’s own Justice Department then held that such surv

btain "tangible things" such as "books, records, papers, documents, and other items." Under the interpretation of this section of the law by both the Bush and Obama administrations, the FISA court was enabled by Congress to issue warrants to telephone companies demanding that they turn over to the NSA t

it did not change that decision even after it found out about his subterfuge.). According to Admiral McConnell, Snowden never actually worked in the Booz Allen offices, which are housed in a skyscraper in downtown Honolulu. Instead, he was immediately assigned to work at the NSA’s highly-sensitive National O

btain “tangible things” such as “books, records, papers, documents, and other items.” Under the interpretation of this section of the law by both the Bush and the Obama administrations, the FISA court was enabled by Congress to issue warrants to telephone companies demanding that they turn over to the N

nterest in exposing the NSA’s secrets, this person could sup- ply him with the necessary guidance, steering a still-unsuspecting Snowden first to the Booz Allen position and afterward to his associ- ates in Hong Kong. By taking sole credit for the coup in the video that he made with Poitras and Greenwald in H

Oct. 8, 2015. 51 Silk Road, which acted: Holman W. Jenkins Jr, “The Anti-hero of Silk Road,” Wall St

ndia?” Also, Shilpa Phadnis, “Edward Snowden Sharpened His Hacking Skills in Delhi,” Times of India, Dec. 4, 2013. 33 “It is a dead-end job”: Former Booz Allen official who requested anonymity, interview with author. 33 shaded by a sakura: The description of Snowden’s life in Maryland comes entirely from Li