Snowden’s disclosed FISA warrant could expose NSA’s illegal phone data collection and contradict James Clapper’s congressional testimony

Summary

Snowden’s disclosed FISA warrant could expose NSA’s illegal phone data collection and contradict James Clapper’s congressional testimony The passage reveals that Snowden provided a recent FISA warrant ordering Verizon to hand over 90 days of billing records to the NSA, directly contradicting then‑DNI James Clapper’s public claim that the agency did not collect phone data domestically. This offers a concrete document and timeline that investigators could pursue (request the warrant, verify its scope, trace Verizon compliance). While the existence of the warrant is already known in public discourse, the specific link to a planned Guardian scoop and the timing (within a month of issuance) adds actionable detail, making it a strong but not blockbuster lead. Key insights: Snowden sent a FISA warrant to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras for use in a Guardian story.; The warrant ordered Verizon to provide 90 days of billing records to the NSA.; James Clapper testified to Congress two months earlier that the NSA did not collect phone data in the U.S.