Snowden also brought the goods (actual docs) so that the existing cases and inquiries could proceed without getting the Glomar response - “cannot answer the question of whether you have standing, as we can neither confirm nor deny the program either exists.”
And this was deliberate. Those in the know knew _of_ the program, but could do little actionable with that knowledge without Snowden’s public proof.
And this was deliberate. Those in the know knew _of_ the program, but could do little actionable with that knowledge without Snowden’s public proof.