The United States has not been successful in getting Russia to turn over NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, who reportedly remains in Moscow – where Russian officials say he lives a “completely free” life. But now a former U.S. government employee is seeking to punish the famous leaker along with the producers of a documentary detailing his story, Citizenfour.
The man, Horace Edwards, says he’s a retired naval officer, former secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation and former executive at ARCO. Edwards has filed a unique lawsuit that seeks a constructive trust over money made from the documentary, based on claims of unfair enrichment from classified information.
The lawsuit – billed as “a derivative action on behalf of the American Public” - states that Edwards holds Snowden and the producers responsible for “obligations owed to the American people” and “purloined information disclosed to foreign enemies.”
Edwards argues that Snowden’s security clearance creates a fiduciary duty of loyalty that was breached by the making of the documentary and alleges that the producers and distributors of the film are “aiding and abetting the theft and misuse of stolen government documents.”
The lawsuit also lists “John and Jane Does 1-10” as both plaintiffs and defendants – identified as “other foreign and domestic entities and individuals [who] may be involved.”
The discussion focuses on legal precedents relating to censorship and CIA agreements, as well as First Amendment considerations.
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