Summary: You didn't submit your book about our illegal and immoral behavior for our review. Therefore, we're going to seize the money you've made so far.
"Snowden's former work agreements with the CIA and NSA are clear that he (and any other employee) must submit the contents of books or speeches for review. There is no exception to account for him blowing the whistle on what many Americans see as misconduct. He's still supposed to submit his book for review to the very agencies whose misbehavior he was revealing. So in response to the book's publication, the DOJ sued Snowden and his publishers, demanding the money from both the book and from Snowden's public presentations.
It seems very unlikely that Permanent Record would get a fair review from the CIA and NSA but the rules don't care. O'Grady even canceled a planned hearing for verbal arguments because he said they weren't necessary. O'Grady notes in the ruling that "there is no genuine dispute of material fact publicly disclosed the type of information and materials described above in Permanent Record and his speeches…" So, he loses and the feds will get to take the money he would have made from the book, a New York Times bestseller."
https://reason.com/2019/12/18/the-feds-get-permission-to-seize-edward-snowdens-book-profits/
"Snowden's former work agreements with the CIA and NSA are clear that he (and any other employee) must submit the contents of books or speeches for review. There is no exception to account for him blowing the whistle on what many Americans see as misconduct. He's still supposed to submit his book for review to the very agencies whose misbehavior he was revealing. So in response to the book's publication, the DOJ sued Snowden and his publishers, demanding the money from both the book and from Snowden's public presentations.
It seems very unlikely that Permanent Record would get a fair review from the CIA and NSA but the rules don't care. O'Grady even canceled a planned hearing for verbal arguments because he said they weren't necessary. O'Grady notes in the ruling that "there is no genuine dispute of material fact publicly disclosed the type of information and materials described above in Permanent Record and his speeches…" So, he loses and the feds will get to take the money he would have made from the book, a New York Times bestseller."
https://reason.com/2019/12/18/the-feds-get-permission-to-seize-edward-snowdens-book-profits/