Shamai Leibowitz, Once Jailed Victim of Obama’s War on Whistleblowers: Snowden a ‘Man of Conscience’

[avaistheone1]

Shamai Leibowitz, a former FBI translator who uncovered documents showing illegal and unconstitutional acts, went to the press and was prosecuted under the Espionage Act, published a blog post on Monday where he indicated his support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Snowden is charged with two violations of the Espionage Act—“unauthorized communication of national defense information” and “willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person.”

Leibowitz writes in his post, “The government would do well to let this man of conscience go live his life in some other country, and apologize to the American public for lying to us, and turning the country into what Daniel Ellsberg calls the United Stasi of America.”

“This manhunt, accompanied by a smear campaign orchestrated by a well-oiled PR machine, is a grave mistake,” Leibowitz states.

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/06/26/shamai-leibowitz-prosecuted-by-obama-under-the-espionage-act-calls-snowden-man-of-conscience/

[Robb]

1. Were I Snowden, I believe this would be the last endorsement I'd want. nt

[Maximumnegro]

2. Social Security isn't in his conscience

and his support of Rand Paul, John McCain, his hate of Hillary and gun control...

But hey he is a brilliant genius hero - I'm sure that's all the conscience we need.

[avaistheone1]

3. I am much more concerned about Obama's conscience.

Killing innocent people with drones, violating our privacy rights and our Constitution.

Setting up a Cat Food Commission to cheat seniors out of our Social Security benefits.

That is the work of Barack Obama, not Edward Snowden.

[OKNancy]

7. how many times are you going to post that?

1. the Deficit commission is old news, they didn't follow any of the recommendations, and Obama never approved it in the end.
2. Social Security is still the same. Get back to me if something changes
3. drones are better than boots on the ground
4. I believe that Obama has followed all the laws as far as the privacy question is concerned, but even if not... just argue that point without throwing out all the Obama-hate-misinformation

[avaistheone1]

9. As necessary.

1. The Deficit commission is old news, they didn't follow any of the recommendations, and Obama never approved it in the end.
Why in God's name would Obama appoint a commission half-filled with people who are diametrically opposed to Social Security if he is such an advocate. The idiots he appointed to this commission are still shaping the dialog that occurs in the media on this subject. Instead Obama should have grabbed the bullpit and been hammering how Social Security must be strengthened at each and every opportunity over the course of his administration.

2. Social Security is still the same. Get back to me if something changes.
I am be actively working on this issue here and elsewhere. I won't be sitting around waiting for an announcement that for my benefits have been hacked away.

3. drones are better than boots on the ground.
That certainly doesn't address the ethics or legality of drone attacks particularly when so many civilians are killed as a result of them. Those deaths do not create peace in the world. Perhaps the prospect of armed drones hovering above Americans and our own innocent families would give us some perspective

4. I believe that Obama has followed all the laws as far as the privacy question is concerned, but even if not... just argue that point without throwing out all the Obama-hate-misinformation. This is the point.
Well I don't believe that Obama followed all the laws on privacy and their are hundreds of threads on the subject you can reference yourself. However, please show me a single thing I stated which hate or misinformation. That statement on your part was clearly misleading and reveals your own bias. What's next calling me a racist?

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Shamai Leibowitz is a convicted criminal who broke federal laws

Prosecuted and convicted.

I'm not sure if Snowden would want that endorsement.

[sibelian]

10. Once again, for the hard of understanding...

If the State fails to provide sanctioned methods whereby it'swrongdoing can be exposed, the only remaining avenues for revealing such wrongdoing are methods that do not involve the consent of the State, ie.e illegal ones.

If someone passes a law saying "you're not allowed to tell anyone I'm raping people" and someone does tell everyone anyway, and they go to jail for it, they are, technically a prosecuted and convicted criminal.

I really don't know what you think you're acheiving by posting these silly opinions other than revealing that you have nothing but contempt for the citizens of the United States of America. If the law is used for inhuman, nefarious purposes, the law must be broken. Reflexively calling those who break such laws "criminal", in the context of a national discussion on the subject of the "criminal's" revelations, which have potentially profound consequences for the nation's information structures, only shows that you presumably would have preferred that nobody knew about it.

Anything can be "criminal". All you have to do is pass a law against it.

Like being gay. Or using Marijuana.

Or protesting a certain distance from politicans.

And so on.

[Cali_Democrat]

13. LOL

I really don't know what you think you're acheiving by posting these silly opinions other than revealing that you have nothing but contempt for the citizens of the United States of America.

Yes, by referring to Shamai Leibowitz as a convicted criminal, I'm showing that I "have nothing but contempt for the citizens of the United States of America."

[Mojorabbit]

15. I agree with everything sibelian said above.

It is getting kind of creepy IMO
I wish you would come up with some thoughtful commentary
which might facilitate discussion of the issue and not the man.
Peace, Mojo

[JI7]

11. maybe leibowitz is a hero like snowden and Obama should pardon him

[JI7]

5. is he the one who leaked about US spying on israel ?

[avaistheone1]

6. So we spy on our friends? You mean our c l o s e s t friend right?

[JI7]

8. yeah, so snowden is revealing our hypocrisy, how can we put Pollard in prison when we

are spying on Israel. how can we complain about chinese hacking when we do the same to them.

[JI7]

12. so you think what Leibowitz did was ok ?

[struggle4progress]

14. Is he the guy who pleaded guilty before he was even indicted?