Hands Quote by Edward Snowden
“When Clapper raised his hand and lied to the American public, was anyone tried? Were any charges brought? Within 24 hours of going public, I had three charges against me.”
About This Quote
Source Testimony: Senate Intelligence Committee, 2014
The speaker questions whether Clapper faced legal consequences for lying to the public, noting personal experience of being charged shortly after speaking out.
In simple terms: He wonders if Clapper was ever charged for deception.
Key Takeaway
Hold officials accountable for false statements.
Themes
accountability
transparency
government
whistleblowing
Mood
critical
serious
Type
political
whistleblower
When to use this quote
- public oversight
- legal reform
- journalism
- civic activism
Key Concepts
law
politics
media ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms ensure officials are prosecuted for deceit?
- How can citizens protect themselves when speaking out?
A Different Perspective
Legal processes may be slow or politically influenced.
![“You know, there were all kinds of calls when George W. Bush left office in 2009 for the left to investigate him. [Barack] Obama and Eric Holder were under pressure to investigate and prosecute Bush. I bet most people don't remember this, but it wasn't until June 30th, 2011, that Eric Holder…” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/87f/rush-limbaugh-28_all-kinds_you-know-there-were-all-kinds-of-calls-w_3220562.jpg)
![“I believe that when [senator Ron] Wyden and [senator Mark] Udall asked about the scale of this, they [the NSA] said it did not have the tools to provide an answer. We do have the tools and I have maps showing where people have been scrutinised most. We collect more digital communications from…” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/549/edward-snowden-555_america_i-believe-that-when-senator-ron-wyden-an_201712.jpg)
![“[Brazil] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data sovereignty."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/af7/edward-snowden-555_brazil_brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-n_14906.jpg)
![“There was a real choice when [Barack Obama] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold senior officials to account with the same laws that every other citizen in the country is held to," or "This is a nation that believes in the rule of law."” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/104/edward-snowden-555_accounts_there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obam_27838.jpg)
