Former Kansas official files federal suit against Edward Snowden documentary
Source: The Wichita Eagle
A former Kansas Secretary of Transportation has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to keep Edward Snowden and filmmakers from profiting from a documentary about his release of classified information on covert government surveillance programs.
Horace Edwards is asking the court to order a government seizure of the proceeds from the film Citizenfour, which chronicles Snowdens evolution from National Security Agency contractor to whistleblower to international celebrity fugitive. The suit was filed Friday in Topeka federal court.
This lawsuit seeks relief against those who profiteer by pretending to be journalists, but in effect are evading the law by betraying their own country, Edwards lawsuit states. Through this charade in the film Citizenfour, a fugitive senior intelligence official
together with the Hollywood Defendants, intentionally violate obligations owed to the American people, misuse purloined information disclosed to foreign enemies, and covet financial gain for their misconduct.
Snowdens release of information confirmed mammoth U.S. government surveillance of e-mail, phone calls, Web searches and other data of citizens in the United States and allied nations.
The film draws its title from Snowdens assumed identity at the beginning of his effort to reveal the extent of NSA surveillance. It has won several awards from film critics and is considered a potential front-runner for an Academy Award.
Read more: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article4829898.html
Before anyone asks:
1. I am not Horace Edwards
2. I am not any of the "John/Jane Does" listed as plaintiffs
3. I am 100% certain this lawsuit isn't going to last 30 seconds before being tossed out
4. Why am I posting it? Because it's LBN with a bit of entertainment value

Bragi
(7,650 posts)It's as though the first amendment has been redacted.
niyad
(122,007 posts)such a lawsuit?
LiberalFighter
(53,543 posts)rpannier
(24,631 posts)Lint Head
(15,064 posts)ellennelle
(614 posts)so this guy horace has standing in this case just how exactly???
corkhead
(6,119 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)
SamKnause
(13,993 posts)Last edited Tue Dec 23, 2014, 12:26 AM - Edit history (1)
opinion.
I think Edward Snowden should be given a medal and praised as a hero for truth and transparency.
Thank you Edward Snowden.
Thank you WikiLeaks.
Thank you Julian Assange.
Thank you Chelsea Manning.
Thank you Daniel Ellsberg.
Thank you Anonymous.
Thank you to all the leakers and whistleblowers the world over !!!!!!!
P.S. Here is a little piece of advice for Horace; Go after the real criminals; the Bush Administration and Wall Street !!!!!
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)appal_jack
(3,813 posts)newfie11
(8,159 posts)Blue_Tires
(57,596 posts)but that's a discussion for another thread...
delrem
(9,688 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)And his legal standing is based on what?
Hey Edwards, It's called freedom of speech, you dumb shit...
undiegrinder
(79 posts)When someone like Edwards gives vent to such stunning stupidity, it's called freed-dumb of speech.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)
BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)Yet they file suit at the drop of a hat. This should be laughed out of court on a number of grounds.
cstanleytech
(27,333 posts)standing to file a lawsuits like this and have a chance at winning?
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)jmowreader
(51,819 posts)TygrBright
(21,020 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)It looks like he thinks he can petition the court if his oatmeal is cold. Here he is, suing to get on the ballot quite recently (that didn't work out for him, he went with "write in"--that didn't work out either):
http://cjonline.com/stories/091704/bre_kdotsec.shtml
Edwards had tried to run as an independent candidate in the race against Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., needing 5,000 signatures from registered voters to make the ballot. But the secretary of state's office said more than 600 of the 5,227 signatures Edwards submitted weren't valid.
Edwards' attorney, Jean Lamfers, said subsequent checks of the petition turned up more than 400 signatures that were from registered voters.
Eighty-six signatures from Douglas County had been declared invalid by the secretary of state's office because the signer didn't live at the address indicated on the petition, Lamfers said. But she said those voters still lived in Douglas County, meaning they still were registered to vote.
I found the actual filing document online, apparently he's suing "on behalf of the American people."
http://cryptome.org/2014/12/edwards-001.pdf
This is an action on behalf of the American people to seek prompt imposition of
the Supreme Courts essential financial remedya constructive trustto redress unjust enrichment
by ensuring that ill-gotten gains are disgorged.1
This deters breaches of fiduciary duty, addresses
irreparable damage to the safety of the American people and prevents dangerous disruption of
foreign affairs due to irresponsible conduct of disloyal government operatives and entertainment
industry collaborators, i.e. named Defendants. This relief does not infringe upon First
Amendment rights but maintains a reasonable balance between national security and the
fundamental Constitutional protections of Freedom of the Press. No censorship occurs and no
public access is restrained.2
Rather, upon information and belief, this lawsuit seeks relief against
those who profiteer by pretending to be journalists and whistleblowers, but in effect are evading the law and betraying their country. Upon information and belief, through this charade in the
film, Citizenfour, a fugitive senior intelligence official, e.g. CIA/NSA/DIA, together with the
Hollywood Defendants, intentionally violate obligations owed to the American people, misuse
purloined information disclosed to foreign enemies, and covet financial gain for their
misconduct.
2. Plaintiff, Horace B. Edwards, is a former Secretary of the Kansas Department of
Transportation, a retired naval officer, LT (j.g.), who held a Q security clearance, a former
President and Chief Executive Officer of ARCO Pipeline Company and former President of
Edwards and Associates, Inc., a professional engineering company. As a member of the moviegoing
public who purchased a ticket to Citizenfour and watched the documentary, he was
outraged by the admissions of Defendant Edward J. Snowden detailing his government status as
a former CIA/NSA/DIA officer with special high level security clearances, proclaiming himself
to be above the law, choosing to breach his government secrecy agreement[s] and his loyalty
oath to the United States, intentionally cherry-picking extraordinary quantities and categories of
highly classified government information and passing the information to Citizenfour film
director Defendant Laura Poitras, as well as others. Plaintiff Edwards views Defendant
Snowdens acts as dishonorable and indefensible and not the acts of a legitimate whistleblower.
To the contrary, Defendant Snowden engaged in acts of foreign espionage, which the Hollywood
Defendants omit from the storyline.
It sounds rather like he's griping about the script as much as anything else.
There aren't many people who retire from the military routinely as an 0-2, that backstory would be interesting to hear, I'm sure.
I don't think this is going anywhere, myself, but I don't think he's a tool of the "PTB." I think he's one of those cranks who does this kind of shit, a "Don Quixote Knows Best" who tilts at windmills. He probably could use an understanding Sancho Panza to keep him out of trouble.
The filing is fifteen interminable pages long, around page seven I started speed reading... Zzzzzzzz.
He also wrote to the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences to try and stop them from considering the film for an Oscar. That document is in the pile, too. He tried to get them banned on a technicality.
This seems, somehow, rather ... PERSONAL. This fellow is HIGHLY offended, and he wants everyone to know it.
I don't think he'll prevail, since the USG already has something filed.
niyad
(122,007 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)As far as I know, he hasn't been convicted of anything.
Is he a cowardly little toe rag? Certainly. But not convicted of anything.
Toss the ridiculous lawsuit.