This Is How Ed Snowden Got His Secrets
Elspeth Reeve
2:58 PM ET
Investigators have figured out that Edward Snowden took classified documents from the National Security Agency with a thumb drive — which means they "know how many documents he downloaded and what server he took them from," an official told the Los Angeles Times' Ken Dilanian. But they still don't know how Snowden got the secret court order compelling Verizon to give three months of metadata on all phone calls ...
... Snowden had taken leave without pay, telling his bosses he was getting treatment for epilepsy. Snowden didn't return, and first Booz Allen and then the U.S. government started looking for him. According to Reuters' source, Snowden was a "geek" known for being gifted: "This guy's really good with his fingers on the keyboard. He's really good." Most NSA workers are banned from using thumb drives, the L.A. Times reports, but "There are people who need to use thumb drive and they have special permission. But when you use one, people always look at you funny." Snowden was apparently undeterred by funny looks.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/06/snowden-access-congress/66217/