The Pentagon Papers of Surveillance: Thomas Drake vs. the NSA

NSA senior executive Thomas Drake discovered massive waste and potential constitutional violations in the agency's post-9/11 surveillance programs. Our hosts analyze how Drake first attempted to work through proper channels, reporting concerns about the billion-dollar Trailblazer program to Congress and inspectors general. We examine the NSA's escalating retaliation campaign - from stripping his security clearance to raiding his home and ultimately indicting him under the Espionage Act. The episode reveals how classification systems and state secrets privileges are weaponized against whistleblowers who expose intelligence community wrongdoing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.