On the issue of "stolen" documents . . .

[markpkessinger]

The rightful owners of all information possessed by the government are the people that elected that government. The government holds a proxy ownership of the information. While it is legitimate, in some instances, for a government to classify certain information in the interest of public safety, when an agency of the federal government is caught lying to the elected body charged with overseeing that agency, when questioned directly by that elected body, then any claim to proxy ownership by that agency has been rendered illegitimate (even if not technically illegal). So claims about Snowden "stealing" documents are seriously overblown. Just my opinion, of course.

[DirkGently]

1. It's also just an antiquated notion at this point.

The digital cat is way out of the bag. No one is smuggling da dia-munds at this point.

[markpkessinger]

2. Very good point! n/t

[JaneyVee]

3. I think it's two parts, one is stealing them, two is disseminating them.

[Paulie]

4. And three is reporting on it.

[JaneyVee]

5. That would fall under number 2 most likely.

[Paulie]

6. Nope. That's a recent occurrence.

The reporter was not under obligation of a security clearance. It's not like receiving stolen goods. It's reporting, that whole 1st amendment thingie.

[DirkGently]

7. That would fall under freedom of the press, most likely.

[markpkessinger]

8. The Supreme Court has ruled in the past . . .

. . . that publishing leaked classified information is not, per se, a crime.

[DirkGently]

9. For good reason. You don't learn the things you need to know

... asking the people who don't want you to know it.

[Recursion]

10. J. Random Citizen isn't under much legal obligation from classification

So, I have this safe at work. I can't take the stuff in it outside of the locked part of the office. If I do, I break the law. If I copy it and hand it to you, I break the law. But once I've handed it to you, in general you don't have much of a legal obligation. Obviously we'd like it if you destroyed it or sent it back to us and didn't tell anybody, it deserves well of the Republic, etc., but since you haven't been read into it you aren't really obligated. That said, the police will almost certainly do everything they can to get it back from you if they have the opportunity -- possibly even lie to you (police have been known to do that).

(And obviously if you're deliberately trying to get me to hand it to you, that's a whole nother kettle of fish and involves the espionage law.)