Dead Drop: August 9

CHANGES AT THE TOP OF IC: Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence, Susan M. Gordon delivered her letter of resignation to the White House late Thursday afternoon.  The President accepted her resignation and tweeted, shortly after, naming Joseph Maguire, current Director of the National Counterterrorism Center to take on the role of Acting DNI when Gordon and her boss Dan Coats both step down from their positions on August 15.  Despite reporting from other news outlets, sources tell the Dead Drop that Gordon did NOT meet with the President on Thursday, but has met with him recently to discuss the role of DNI.  Gordon would have been the heir apparent to the Acting DNI role.  Gordon’s resignation letter was believed to be leaked to the media by the White House.

BOOK HIM: Late last week word came out that former NSA contractor and current fugitive Edward Snowden has a book coming out September 17^th titled Permanent Record. The memoir will be published by Metropolitan Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.  The tome will simultaneously be published in more than 20 countries, according to The New York Times. In a statement some folks might disagree with, Macmillan CEO John Sargent said “Edward Snowden decided at the age of 29 to give up his entire future for the good of his country.”  Others argue that Snowden might soon be giving up a little more.  For example, DC lawyer Mark Zaid tweeted that if Snowden didn’t submit his manuscript for prepublication review as he was required to do, the Justice Department “should civilly sue him & collect his advance & all future royalties” per Supreme Court precedent. If Snowden is planning a book tour, The Cipher Brief invites him to visit us in the United States.  We know his appearance would draw a big crowd.