Snowden Email Released by NSA Doesn’t Claim Wrongdoing

The NSA declassified and released an email Thursday that Edward Snowden sent to its legal team last year, seeking to clarify the spy agency's boundaries when it came to surveillance on private citizens but not raising any whistleblower concerns.

Snowden is currently living in asylum in Russia after he stole secret government documents pertaining to the NSA's spy program and fed them to journalists.

"Hello, I have a question regarding the mandatory USSID 18 training," Snowden wrote in the April 5, 2013, message.

Urgent: NSA Spying: Do You Approve or Disapprove? Vote Now.

"The training states the following: The Hierarchy of Governing Authorities and Documents is displayed from the highest authority to the lowest authority as follows:

Snowden's question came after he underwent a training session on United States Signals Intelligence Directive 18 (USSID 18), which pertains to the collection of data from U.S. and foreign citizens.

Three days later, Snowden received a response from an NSA lawyer.

"Hello Ed, Executive orders (E.O.s) have the 'Force and effect of law,'" reads the response. "That said, you are correct that E.O.s cannot override a statute.

"In general, DOD and DDNI regulations are afforded similar precedence though subject matter or date could result in one having precedence over another."

The agency released the emails in response to Snowden's claim during an interview with NBC News that he shared his concerns about the legality of the NSA's spying practices with the Office of General Counsel.

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Snowden Email Released by NSA Doesn't Claim Wrongdoing