Topic: Snowden

Legal experts debate whether the U.S. Constitution explicitly forbids the banishment of citizens, noting that the document primarily lists what the government cannot do. The hosts compare the proposed exile of criminals to the case of Edward Snowden, whose passport was revoked while he was abroad. The discussion centers on whether citizenship provides an absolute right to reside within the country.

The DOGE "Wall of Receipts" has faced scrutiny for accounting errors, including a $8 billion contract that was actually $8 million. Despite these errors, the team claims to have identified significant waste in federal spending. The discussion highlights Booz Allen Hamilton, a major government contractor that receives 98% of its revenue from federal sources and has deep ties to the intelligence community.

Retired intelligence officer Nicholas Eftimiadis analyzes the challenges facing the new DNI, focusing on Chinese cyber attacks and political warfare. The discussion covers the need for a national strategy involving commerce and trade alongside defense. Further commentary addresses the status of Edward Snowden and the potential for declassifying documents to rebuild public trust in the intelligence community.

Tucker Carlson revealed he had a private dinner with Edward Snowden at the Four Seasons in Moscow, despite Snowden's request for no publicity. Carlson claims the meeting was leaked to the outlet Semaphore by U.S. intelligence agencies who were monitoring his encrypted Signal communications. The segment also notes that ProtonMail has begun automatically encrypting emails to the hosts.

The discussion continues regarding media propaganda and the influence of corporate owners like BlackRock and Vanguard. Russell Brand's defense of Julian Assange and Edward Snowden is highlighted as a rare moment of dissent on mainstream television. The segment also touches on the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against Fox News.

Glenn Greenwald discussed Edward Snowden's recent acquisition of Russian citizenship, arguing that the Obama-Biden administration forced Snowden to remain in Moscow by revoking his passport. Greenwald claimed the US government intentionally trapped Snowden in Russia to facilitate "Kremlin spy" narratives.

According to Glenn Greenwald, Donald Trump considered pardoning Edward Snowden but was deterred by threats from Republican senators Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio. The senators reportedly warned Trump that a pardon for Snowden would lead them to vote for his conviction during his second impeachment trial.

A new theory suggests the January 6th events may have been a "deep state setup," citing the missing Secret Service text messages as a potential smoking gun. Former First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement claiming she was unaware of the Capitol breach because her chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, failed to brief her. Melania asserted that she was busy documenting White House renovations and would have denounced the violence had she been informed.

The hosts discuss claims made by Jeni Neutron that journalists Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi are Russian operatives. They contrast this with the theory that Greenwald's access to mainstream outlets like The New York Times during the Snowden leaks suggests he is more likely to be influenced by Western intelligence agencies.

Speculation arises that the intense push to remove President Trump in his final days is driven by fear of him declassifying sensitive documents. The hosts question why Trump has not yet pardoned Julian Assange or Edward Snowden, suggesting he may still be under the influence of advisors protecting the intelligence community's interests.

The hosts argue Trump made a strategic mistake by not pardoning Julian Assange and Edward Snowden early in his term. John Dvorak provides a "Zephyr Economic Report" based on a nine-car train passing his house, including two private cars for the elite. They discuss Bitcoin hitting $40,000 and the international impact of a weakening U.S. dollar.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo labeled John Bolton a "traitor" and compared him to Edward Snowden following the release of his memoir. During interviews, Bolton dismissed these claims as "par for the course" in the Trump administration. The conflict centers on whether Bolton's disclosures regarding private conversations with foreign leaders constitute a threat to national security or a public service.

A 2013 news clip featuring Vladimir Putin telling Edward Snowden "it's time to go" is played to highlight the longevity of the international standoff. Shifting to current events, the hosts claim credit for recent rains in Australia, attributing the weather change to their use of "precision" rain sticks. They acknowledge that some of the rain mistakenly hit Indonesia instead of the fire-ravaged regions.

The hosts play a clip from "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" depicting 21st-century "sanctuary districts" for the homeless, drawing parallels to modern urban crises. In news, the Trump administration sues Edward Snowden over his memoir "Permanent Record." Meanwhile, the DNI supports the reauthorization of the USA Freedom Act, which the hosts argue preserves invasive surveillance authorities under the guise of "freedom."

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak conclude the episode, promoting a bonus full interview with Steve Pieczenik. The show ends with a musical mix featuring news clips about high taxes on e-cigarettes in Vermont and Italy, as well as a satirical song about the "OTG blues" and the recent attacks on Saudi oil refineries.

Edward Snowden released a new book titled "Permanent Record," though the hosts noted he is struggling to maintain cultural relevance. In interviews, Snowden discussed his life in Moscow, his marriage to Lindsay Mills, and his view that Russia is not the "fortress of the enemy" he once imagined. He admitted to being a CIA agent prior to his work as an NSA contractor, leading to speculation about his current relationship with international intelligence agencies.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the UK's mass surveillance program, exposed by Edward Snowden, is unlawful. The court found that the program violated Article 8 (right to privacy) and Article 10 (freedom of expression) due to a lack of independent oversight and safeguards for journalistic material. The hosts note that this landmark judgment has been significantly under-reported.

President Donald Trump's reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is examined in the context of the Carter Page investigation. Technical arguments suggest that the specific date of a FISA warrant is less critical than perceived, as modern surveillance capabilities allow investigators to access communications both retroactively and into the future.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo delivers a speech labeling WikiLeaks a "non-state hostile intelligence service." The Intelligence Authorization Act incorporates language that would allow the US government to treat WikiLeaks associates as hostile actors. Pompeo accuses Julian Assange and Edward Snowden of endangering lives, while the hosts argue this is a legal maneuver to bypass traditional surveillance restrictions.

NPR's Planet Money reports on the "black budget," the top-secret portion of the federal budget dedicated to national security. While unofficial estimates previously placed the figure at half a billion dollars, leaks from Edward Snowden revealed the actual spending is closer to $70 billion annually.