Snowden, Poitras & Others Sued For 'Billions Of Dollars' Spent By US Government In Response To Leaks
from the not-a-ton-of-crazy-in-the-filing,-but-not-a-ton-of-right,-either dept
Horace B. Edwards, Navy veteran and former Secretary of Transportation for the state of Kansas, is suing Edward Snowden, Laura Poitras and a handful of "Hollywood Defendants" for profiteering from the distribution of "stolen documents." This is supposedly being done on "behalf of the American people" ("John and Jane Does 1-10" listed in the "Plaintiffs" field). [pdf link]What Edwards is seeking is a court-ordered "constructive trust," financed by the proceeds of Laura Poitras' Snowden documentary "CitizenFour," to offset the financial damage caused by the leaked documents.
This is an action on behalf of the American people to seek prompt imposition of the Supreme Court’s essential financial remedy–a constructive trust–to redress unjust enrichment by ensuring that ill-gotten gains are disgorged… This relief does not infringe upon First Amendment rights but maintains a reasonable balance between national security and the fundamental Constitutional protections of Freedom of the Press. No censorship occurs and no public access is restrained...If you're still having any trouble discerning Edwards' stance on the Snowden leaks, allow this paragraph to do the heavy lifting.
Upon information and belief, through this charade in the film, “Citizenfour,” a fugitive senior intelligence official, e.g. CIA/NSA/DIA, together with the “Hollywood Defendants,” intentionally violate obligations owed to the American people, misuse purloined information disclosed to foreign enemies, and covet financial gain for their misconduct.
Upon information and belief together, these Hollywood Defendants have concertedly acted without regard for the health, safety and welfare of all U.S. Citizens, have aided and abetted the illegal and morally wrongful acts of Defendant Snowden, and have callously chosen to commercialize, capitalize and commoditize for their conscienceless benefit, the stolen classified CIA/NSA and other secret documents referred to and revealed in the film.From there, we head to the heart of the matter: the billions of dollars in damages Poitras, Snowden, et al should be forced to pay in compensation to the US government.
Upon information and belief, the sums subject to a constructive trust may well exceed hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars, to achieve restitution for all expenditures of the U.S. government to protect human assets placed at risk, restore/revamp computer infrastructure, rebuild relationships with foreign governments, and respond to various enemies’ resurgence efforts, due to the blowback associated with the film and the release of classified information to foreign enemies of this Nation.Edwards' argument is that Snowden's breach of his secrecy agreements makes him personally obligated to reimburse the US (the government and its people, according to the filing) for expenses incurred. That the "Hollywood Defendants" and Poitras herself have financially benefited from the documentary makes them at least partially liable, and that all proceeds from "CitizenFour" rightfully belong to the government. To that end, Edwards seeks relief in the following form.
Impose a constructive trust over, and permit the United States Government to obtain an accounting of, all monies, gains, profits, royalties, and other advantages that all Defendants have derived, or will derive in the future, from the publication, distribution, sale, serialization, or republication in any form, including any other rights, of the work entitled “Citizenfour,” whether or not such gains remain in Defendant Snowden’s possession or in the possession, custody or control, whether direct or indirect, of any other Defendant herein.Considering Edwards is trying to help the US balance its Snowden-related books, you'd think he wouldn't be attempting to harm the US government's constructive trust cash cow -- Poitras' Snowden documentary. But included with the filing are two letters [one, two] from the law firm representing Edwards (Lamfers & Assocs. L.C.) to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, both of which contain reasons why "CitizenFour" shouldn't be allowed to compete for a Best Documentary award. Seeing as an Oscar win usually results in a sales bump -- and with Edwards asserting that Snowden, et al need to pay Uncle Sam back for the trouble they've caused -- it would seem to be in everyone's financial interest that "CitizenFour" receive a nomination and, hopefully, a win.
But this isn't about logic, it's about Edwards' vindictive and likely futile lawsuit. Edwards wants to punish those who have made the film (as it stands now, Snowden is still out of reach) by dragging them through the federal court system and pushing their film out of Oscar running.
As for his assurances that the creation of a constructive trust wouldn't have any impact on the First Amendment rights of those named in the lawsuit, he's only technically correct. Edwards isn't seeking an injunction barring the showing or sale of the film, but if successful, his lawsuit would have a chilling effect on future reporting pertaining to whistleblowers and/or leaked documents. If he somehow manages to prove that Snowden's breach of contract makes him and his "benefactors" responsible for money spent by the US government's damage control, this will deter both future reporting and future whistleblowers from making any information public.
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Filed Under: citizenfour, ed snowden, first amendment, free speech, horace edwards, jeff skoll, laura poitras, stolen documents
Companies: participant media, weinstein company
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you mean like TAFTA.
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Horace has made a typo here. He misspelled "US Government".
If he wasn't to do something that is actually on behalf of the American people, he should be suing the US government.
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Re:
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Only 10 Doe plaintiffs?
Bill Gates
Warren Buffett
Larry Ellison
Charles Koch
David Koch
Christy Walton
Jim Walton
Alice Walton
S. Robson Walton
Mark Zuckerberg
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Standing
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As an American person,
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Re:
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and this fucking numb nut is trying to sue those 3 people? yeah, right!!
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Re:
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#notyourshield
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Does Techdirt need a "Funny" section?
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Re: Standing
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Asking for "profits" while suing "Holywood Defendants"??
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So he wont mind being criminally charged under War Crimes and other International treaties for the crimes that the US Govt, its citizens and proxies have committed (with torture being but one of the charges) towards the rest of the populace of the planet then.
Good on him.. I hope he plans to NEVER travel anywhere else on the planet whatsoever (or any of his agents who would also be vicariously liable too)
btw.. This is NOT sarcasm
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Re: Only 10 Doe plaintiffs?
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Odd
- the torture
- the spying on allied nations
- the spying on corporations
- the spying on citizens all over the world
- the drone assassinations
- the concentration camps
- the wars based on lies
- the attack on journalists
and so on
He does not even mention that someone is responsible for the despised acts. In fact he doesn't even mention that it is the despised acts that is despised!
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Is it environmental?
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Re: Is it environmental?
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Re: Odd
Remember, we're talking about people who see absolutely nothing wrong with a peeping tom who either watches directly, or sets up cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms, as long as the person/people they are watching never learn that they're being watched.
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Re:
¬_¬
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All The Presidents' Men
Asking for a friend.
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Re: Odd
The relationship the US has with this tiny country ruled by racists who consider everyone not a jew to be cattle is poisonous...I wasn't surprised when the NSA was shown to be spying both of these intensely (more than Russia even). It could be for the best. Also all those 9/11 perps, where did they mostly hang out ? Germany, in Hanover. The Germany privacy laws are good but they are being used for bad reasons.
Yes I just read a book, Flight Path by Kristjan Thorsteinson, used to be only available in German. He had it translated after the whole Germany under surveillance thing.
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If that were illegal, we'd see the following headline in the news more often: "Crony Capitalists' Corporate Chapters Cancelled; Culpable CEO's Criminally Charged, Crying."
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Re: Is it environmental?
Sodium fluoride only being added because it's a waste product from mining industry and others, might as well find a use for it...right?
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Can Horseface Eddy be sued for being stupid?
if Horseface Eddy had any iota of intelligence he would have gone after those 911 masterminds instead of spitting into the winds.
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Re: Re: Is it environmental?
Did they bother separating the sodium fluoride from the other mining waste before putting it in the drinking water?
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Re:
Kind of like this suit. What a putz.
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Charade? Obligations?
By characterizing the film as a charade, does that not disprove the theory of the suit? If the film is accurate and is based on public knowledge, how can there be damages?
"...intentionally violate obligations owed to the American people..."
The only fiduciary duty owed was in the explicit oath to which Snowden swore—to protect against foreign and domestic enemies. I'd say that passing secret laws and spying on private citizens in direct contravention of the Constitution places many government officials firmly into enemy territory.
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Re: Re: Odd
Uh, no: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Andrews_Drake
This person (not you) needs to educate theirself.
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Re:
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The easiest way to to have people think you're an asshole is to not be a fscking asshole.
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Re: Re: Re: Odd
Had he just remained silent, no one would have known what the government was up to, and if you don't know about a crime, it doesn't exist(according to government logic).
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Re: Re: Re: Odd
As such, by exposing the crime, according to their argument he created the crime, where before no crime had taken place.
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Copyright
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Germany
It is very difficult for Germans to be critical towards Israel. The main reason is that Jews were the only group singled out as Nazi victims. It is a sad reason all the other victims were ignored.
* Gays: Actually illegal, and actively harassed. To the extent that they drove Alan Turing to suicide. So not workable as victims.
* Gipsys (Romani): They "roamed the land and did crimes", and were considered an unsolvable problem. Used in medical experiments and the victim of mass sterilization, in the UK. So not workable as victims.
* Mentally retarded: Freaks. So not workable as victims.
* People born with physical defects: Freaks. So not workable as victims.
* Communists: The old enemy reborn as the new enemy. To the extent that Martin Niemöllers First they came ... is misquoted to this day in USA! In the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum "communist" is substituted with "socialist". In Israel the proper quote is used. And it is a sad reminder how true Martin Niemöller words were. Even more so now, that Russia is re-reborn as the enemy. "The bad people killed our enemies". So not workable as victims
Benjamin Netanyahu getting never ending applause in the US Congress were ... odd. No one wanted to be the first to stop clapping. If you compare it to old films from Soviet it looks alike. Weird, and scary.
If the corruption problem in USA were fixed, the funding would stop. And if the focus shifted more toward what is actually happening today instead of faked history the racism would be addressed. The most open debate concerning this is actually in Israel. And it would be peace in the region within days.
We in Europa and USA is almost as much to blame as Israel. If the corruption in USA and the stale guilt is not adressed before USA goes bankrupt it might be to late. For Israel and for innocent Jews all over the world. When the pendulum have been fixed to an extreme position for decades bad things happen when it swings ... Nobody seams to care though.
NSA share its files with Israel unfiltered. Even the surveillance of the Senate and the Congress.
I consider the Hanover-trail unreliable and unlikely. Shorting of stocks (real and proven) and the Hanover trail (claimed and unproven), Sonys courting of attorney generals (real and proven) and North Korea the perpetrator (claimed and unproven), seam to never be addressed by the same news outlet.
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Re: Re: Odd
Remember, we're talking about people who see absolutely nothing wrong with a peeping tom who either watches directly, or sets up cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms, as long as the person/people they are watching never learn that they're being watched."
+ 1,000 x's over.
And funded by;
Bill Gates
Warren Buffett
Larry Ellison
Charles Koch
David Koch
Christy Walton
Jim Walton
Alice Walton
S. Robson Walton
Mark Zuckerberg
there's no reason to care what the rest of "people" think anymore since the "people" have always considered Snowden an asset.
Personally, I think it's laughable he even found attorney's to file on behalf of his imaginary "people" - if that was possible, everyone would file for a lot of things.
I think his attorney should have his license reconsidered for misleading a demented old man out of cash.
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Re:
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What a dingbat!~
High as a flag on the Fourth of July
Just a dumb fuck with greed in his heart
He's in lust, what a fuck, with a yen for a buck....
This is a classic case of killing the messenger....
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Re: Squandering Billion's?
I would suggest looking up what Fascism, Tyranny and Dictator means and then remember this: Everything our alleged forefathers fought Nazi Germany against that in fact the USA and its vassal's are today. Complete with the Israeli trained POLICE STATE under program's of GILEE, CRI, ADL, DHS, FBI, NSA and FBI's Counter-Terrorism. GOOGLE IT!
Only in the US Government can they arrest and put on trial those for war crimes and exempt themselves.
Holiday Note: As countless Million's of American's reflect on the birth and death of their Lord Jesus Christ who was systematically TORTURED to death is it also legal to torture others from a predominately "Christian" peoples. Yet! If you beat your DOG your convicted of a crime?
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Re: Standing
If this case is allowed to move forward due to a change in standing I've got plenty of other case ideas for the Courts to rule on.
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Re: Is it environmental?
Possibly fracking.
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Fee Fie Foe Fum
The courts should demand such a complete breakdown, or there should be no way to legally allow this extortion to continue, since the USG is supposed to be acting for the US public - thus the US public should know in full detail what the redress of finances is actually for.
Otherwise, the USG can simply pull a number out of its ass and claim that it represents the amount of money they spent doing whatever it was they claim (without evidence) that they've been doing since Snowden exposed their dirty deeds to the world.
It might actually be worth taking them up on the suit and filing countersuit to get the full details of these expenses exposed publically. That should get the USG to run in the other direction pretty quick.
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Re: Re: Is it environmental?
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Re:
That's the thing about crooks in power. They're all in it for personal gain and will quickly and without the slightest hesitation, cut each other's throats for a small increase in their own cut of the booty.
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Re: All The Presidents' Men
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Re: Re: Is it environmental?
Correlation... causation... you know the drill. The wikipedia article on water fluoridation doesn't support anything you're saying.
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Re: Re: Re: Is it environmental?
Actually it was due to confusing correlation and causation. Doctors saw that sodium causes this thing (I don't remember what) that's associated with high blood pressure, so they assumed it was causal. But it turns out that there's another factor that causes both high blood pressure, and this other condition. The high blood pressure has nothing to do with sodium.
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The legislation used to sue is fraud
And it's a simple defence, which is concisely proved in this picture here https://deuteronomy4verse2.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/law/
Resources for the defence are provided at the links.
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