Lawrence O'Donnell: Edward Snowden's Christmas Message Was 'Wildly Overblown,' 'Provably Untrue'

[ljm2002]

212. No, Snowden did not get any warrants...

...that has been stipulated, again and again and again, yet you continue to harp on it. "But he broke the LAW, wah wah wah!"

In your world, apparently, one does not question whether FISA warrants operate as we citizens of the United States have a right to expect: namely, targeted investigations. Rather, they allow sweeping surveillance with little oversight, with FISA courts that are stacked (all appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) and that operate in total secrecy. Yeah, that's a recipe for proper governance, you betcha. "yep, makes NSA legal". Wow, what a keen analysis you present there. "Did Clapper lie" "notwhen (sic) you listen to his complete answer" -- no, you are wrong. He lied, period. Now he may have thought he needed to lie, BUT HE LIED. And lying to Congress is ILLEGAL. He could have answered truthfully: he could have said, "The answer to your question is classified and I can answer in a closed session" or something like that. But he did not do that. HE LIED. WHICH IS ILLEGAL in the circumstances. So he too should get the Snowden treatment from your ilk: "He's a criminal nyah nyah nyah". From now on, any time he opens his mouth, you should be saying "he's lying again". But of course, you do not: because when Clapper lies, you think it's all about context. But when Snowden reveals programs that go far beyond what most of us imagined, context is irrelevant.

In the meantime, the surveillance state grows, our police become militarized, the First and Fourth amendments are in shreds... but that's okay, because Snowden is bad, so there.