Snowden leaked things unrelated to domestic surveillance. He did not follow whistle-blower protocols that were in place. He was disgruntled and reckless. I don’t feel that should ever be rewarded. We can’t have people acting on their own with national security secrets. Snowden inspired dangerous nutjobs like Reality Winner.
And Ciarmella and Vindman did?
He was enraged by Clapper lying to Congress .
Exactly !
The Chinese & the Russians didn’t just give him a free vacation. He paid them!
my understanding is that he had access to all streams and there was not a safe uncorrupted place in All of government that he could turn to.
Think of that a minute. No place.
In all three branches.
Unfortunately those whistle-blower protocols don't really protect the whistleblower, from what I've heard in some cases.