NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. (Gage Skidmore \/ CC-BY-2.0) <\/p>\n
Edward Snowden is calling for a complete overhaul of U.S. whistleblower protections after a new source from inside the Pentagon leaked a startling account of how the system became a trap for those seeking to expose wrongdoing by the government. <\/p>\n
The Guardian reports: <\/p>\n
The account of John Crane, a former senior Pentagon investigator, appears to undermine Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and other major establishment figures who argue that there were established routes for Snowden other than leaking to the media. <\/p>\n
Crane, a longtime assistant inspector general at the Pentagon, has accused his old office of retaliating against a major surveillance whistleblower, Thomas Drake, in an episode that helps explain Snowdens 2013 National Security Agency disclosures. Not only did Pentagon officials provide Drakes name to criminal investigators, Crane told the Guardian, they destroyed documents relevant to his defence. <\/p>\n
Snowden, responding to Cranes revelations, said he had tried to raise his concerns with colleagues, supervisors and lawyers and been told by all of them: Youre playing with fire. <\/p>\n
He told the Guardian: We need iron-clad, enforceable protections for whistleblowers, and we need a public record of success stories. Protect the people who go to members of Congress with oversight roles, and if their efforts lead to a positive change in policy recognize them for their efforts. There are no incentives for people to stand up against an agency on the wrong side of the law today, and thats got to change. <\/p>\n
Snowden continued: The sad reality of todays policies is that going to the inspector general with evidence of truly serious wrongdoing is often a mistake. Going to the press involves serious risks, but at least youve got a chance. <\/p>\n
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Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly. <\/p>\n
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