September 27, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS — “The Constitution and Conscience: NSA’s Thomas Drake blows the whistle,” a talk to be given by Thomas Drake, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 3045 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis.

Drake is a veteran of the Air Force and Navy, who was working as a senior executive in the National Security Agency when surveillance policy changed in the aftermath of 9-11 in ways that violated both the Constitution and his conscience. He spoke out on secret mass ‘Collect-it-all’ electronic surveillance and the multibillion-dollar fraud and intelligence failures within the NSA.

Drake was the first U.S. whistleblower to be charged under the Espionage Act since Daniel Ellsberg in 1971 and faced 35 years in prison. A program that he exposed was later confirmed by the NSA to have been a waste of over a billion dollars. He was among the first to expose to the public the mass surveillance of US citizens which continues in various forms. 

The talk is free and open to the public. Light snacks will be served. 

The talk is sponsored by Tackling Torture at the Top Committee of Women Against Military Madness, The Coming Home Collaborative, Veterans for Peace Chapter 27, and Blue Republican-Minnesota.

The Facebook event like is https://www.facebook.com/events/1514146361931620.

Parking for the event at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church is on the lot south of the church. Handicapped parking on north side. Entrance is the modern door on the NW side of the church.

For information call 612-871-2967 or 952-393-0914.

Contat Women Against Military Madness at 612-827-5364 or WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness.org or on Facebook.