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First Word: Edward Snowden reportedly took job to find documents

The South China Morning Post reported Monday that Edward Snowden sought the contracting job in order to gather information on NSA surveillance.
This file picture taken on June 18, 2013 shows a woman walking past a banner displayed in support of former US spy Edward Snowden in Hong Kong.  (Photo by Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images)
This file picture taken on June 18, 2013 shows a woman walking past a banner displayed in support of former US spy Edward Snowden in Hong Kong.

The South China Morning Post reported Monday that Edward Snowden sought the contracting job in order to gather information on NSA surveillance. "My position with Booz Allen Hamilton granted me access to lists of machines all over the world the NSA hacked," he said in an interview with the paper on June 12. "That is why I accepted that position about three months ago."

It's unclear where Snowden is right now. He flew to Moscow from Hong Kong on Sunday. And on Monday he was supposed to board a Havana-bound plane in Moscow, but never got on the flight. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who has been in close contact with Snowden, said he's in a safe place. Meanwhile, Ecuador’s foreign minister said they are considering an asylum request by the self-identified NSA leaker.

Here are some more stories informing the Last Word rundown tonight:

  • Assange: Snowden sent asylum requests to Ecuador, ‘other countries’
  • Supreme Court affirmative action decision: sends UT-Austin's race-conscious admissions back for review
  • Gary David Goldberg, creator of ‘Family Ties,’ dies at 68