US sues Edward Snowden for failing to submit book to government for clearance

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden on Tuesday for failing to submit his book to the government for clearance.

“Edward Snowden has violated an obligation he undertook to the United States when he signed agreements as part of his employment by the CIA and as an NSA contractor,” Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt said in a statement.

Snowden’s book “Permanent Record” was published on Tuesday by Macmillan. The publisher, which was also named as a defendant in the suit, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a release, the Justice Department said it was seeking to recover “all proceeds earned by Snowden because of his failure to submit his publication for pre-publication review in violation of his alleged contractual and fiduciary obligations.”

“The United States is suing the publisher solely to ensure that no funds are transferred to Snowden, or at his direction, while the court resolves the United States’ claims,” the release said.

The civil lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia. It is separate from the criminal case the Justice Department is pursuing related to Snowden’s alleged disclosures of confidential information.

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