Eriq Gardner at The Hollywood Reporter is noting that while the Obama administration isn’t messing with “Citizenfour,” an Oscar-contending documentary on Edward Snowden’s allegedly heroic leaking of government secrets, a private citizen has filed a lawsuit against “unjust enrichment” from damaging national security.
Unlike the recent Sony fracas, the suit doesn’t seek to stop the film, just inhibit its profits. "No censorship occurs and no public access is restrained. Rather, upon information and belief, this lawsuit seeks relief against those who profiteer by pretending to be journalists and whistleblowers, but in effect are evading the law and betraying their country."
The documentary was released on October 24, and has grossed only about $2 million.
Horace Edwards, who identifies himself as a retired naval officer and the former secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation, has filed a lawsuit in Kansas federal court that seeks a constructive trust over monies derived from the distribution of Citizenfour. Edwards, who says he has "Q" security clearance and was the chief executive of the ARCO Pipeline Company, seeks to hold Snowden, director Laura Poitras, The Weinstein Company, Participant Media and others responsible for "obligations owed to the American people" and "misuse purloined information disclosed to foreign enemies."
...Represented by attorney Jean Lamfers, Edwards appears to be making the argument that Snowden's security clearance creates a fiduciary duty of loyalty — one that was allegedly breached by Snowden's participation in the production of Citizenfour without allowing prepublication clearance review. As for the producers and distributors, they are said to be "aiding and abetting the theft and misuse of stolen government documents."
...Edwards is clearly upset by Snowden's actions, calling them "dishonorable and indefensible and not the acts of a legitimate whistleblower," as well as by Hollywood for "omit[ting] from the storyline" perceived acts of foreign espionage, and Poitras for doing things like "hiding [Snowden] in her hotel room while he changes into light disguise, accepting all of the purloined information to use for her personal benefit financially and professionally.”
