Reporter: should
be prosecuted.
And then he doubled down on that
just before the election took place.
And then talked about
it again last week.
Really extraordinary
the circumstances.
Remember Hillary Clinton,
Secretary Clinton,
just recently came out and
said the Jim Comey letters
and what he said was
one of the reasons
she lost the election.
Now we're saying
that he's been fired
for basically those decisions.
I want to read a letter
from President Tr*mp, uh,
released just moments ago.
"Dear Director Comey,
I have received
"the attached letters
from the Attorney General
"and the Deputy Attorney
General of the United States
"recommending your
dismissal as the Director
"of the Federal Bureau
of Investigation.
"I have accepted
their recommendation
"and you are hereby
terminated and removed
"from office,
effective immediately.
"While I greatly appreciate
you informing me,
"on three separate occasions,
"that I am not
under investigation,
"I nevertheless concur
with the judgment
"of the Department of Justice
"that you are not able to
effectively lead the Bureau.
"It is essential that
we find new leadership
for the FBI that restores..."
This is my partner Wa...
Partner, Wally Taylor.
Hey. How are you?
Man: Hi.
Reality Winner: Hey.
Wally Taylor: How are you?
Reality: Uh...
Good. H-how are you doing?
Good.
How's your day today?
Uh, it's pretty good.
Just got some groceries.
Alright.
Let's show you who we are.
Okay. Well, the reason
we're here today
is that we have a search
warrant for your house.
- Okay.
- Justin Garrick: Alright.
Uh, do you know what
this might be about?
I have no idea.
Okay.
This is about, uh,
possible mishandling
of classified information.
Oh, my goodness. Okay.
Garrick: Mm-hmm.
So what we've got is, uh, again, g-got a warrant.
And, uh,
I'm happy to show it to you.
What I'd like to do is sit down,
talk you with, uh,
talk with you about it.
Kind of go over what,
what's going on.
Uh, kind of get your,
your side of it.
And, of course, you're
completely voluntary
to talk to me.
Uh, we can talk here
or, uh, our office is
about five minutes away,
uh, if you want to, if
you'd rather talk there.
Then we can do either one.
It makes no difference to me.
- Okay.
- Taylor: Do you have any pets?
- I do. I have two pets.
- 'Cause you-you've been gone a while.
So do, do we maybe
need to let 'em out,
use the bathroom,
stuff like that?
I, uh, I-I do.
Um, would you mind
if I at least get some
perishables into the fridge?
Taylor: And we
can do that, too.
But what we're gonna
have to do is, uh...
Do you live by yourself?
Yes.
Taylor: Okay. What we're
gonna have to do is
we're gonna have to go
into the house first,
make sure it's, it's safe.
We have a search
warrant, so we-we're, uh,
we're going to.
- Absolutely.
- Taylor: Okay.
And what we'll do is
we'll keep you out
here until we do that
and once we secure
it, we'll, uh...
then we can kind of
go from there, okay?
Of course.
So is your dog friendly?
Okay,
well, uh, so...
she doesn't... like men.
- Okay.
- So...
- So that's a problem.
- Yeah.
- Um, she may come towards you, but...
- Okay.
She's never bitten anybody.
She's not aggressive.
She's just got, you know,
a really good growl going.
- Okay.
- She'll probably hide under my desk.
Do you have a, a leash or...
- I have a leash.
- Okay.
I can, I can get her leashed up.
So what we might want to do is
maybe let you go in there with her.
You're not to touch
anything else.
You're not to do anything
else but get the dog
and bring it out here.
- We cool? We...
- Of course. I understand.
Because otherwise, if,
if we have a problem,
we're not gonna do that.
I can move her straight
to the backyard.
- Taylor: Okay.
- Okay.
Taylor: Uh, house key?
House key.
We also have a warrant
to search the car too.
Do you have a cell phone?
We'll take that, and we'll, uh,
kind of go from there, okay?
Uh, but like he said,
we're completely voluntary,
completely up to you on...
But, you know, I think maybe
it'd be worth your time...
- No, definitely.
- to listen, at least for a little bit.
- Um, definitely here...
- Okay?
And we can kind of figure out
what's, what's going on.
- To, uh, comply.
- Okay.
Her leash is two
feet inside the door
where I left it this morning.
I can move her straight
to the backyard.
Are there any weapons in
the car? In the house?
- In the house, yes.
- What do you have?
I have an AR-15.
Is it pink?
- It's pink.
- Okay.
How'd you know?
Uh, I have a Glock
Nine under the bed
- and a, uh, a 15-gauge.
- Taylor: Okay.
You sound like my house.
Okay, we're good, then.
Garrick: Alright.
Just don't make any,
any movements for
those and then we're...
- Yeah.
- Taylor: Yeah.
I mean, we're all cool.
- Yeah.
- Garrick: Yeah.
I mean, kind of obvious.
- Yeah.
- Taylor: You can put, put...
There's a little fenced-in
area where you can put her?
Uh, yes, yes.
And you won't even
take your eyes off me.
Taylor: And we'll get
water and stuff like that.
And this other guy,
uh, is with us as well.
And we'll probably
have a few more people
showing up here directly.
Taylor: Is that the only pet?
Reality: There is a cat.
She will go straight
under the bed.
Taylor: Okay.
Jen doesn't like men.
Starting to see a trend here.
Man: Yeah. Y'all can come
on out. We found her.
What's her name?
Uh, Mickey.
Hey, Mickey.
Hey there.
She doesn't know what's
going on, though.
Reality: There you go.
You don't have any weapons
or anything on you, do you?
- No.
- None in the car?
Um, in the car? No.
Hey.
Hang on. Hang on,
hang on just...
Can I close the door for my cat?
Alright.
'Cause that-that's all
I care about right now.
Okay, uh, so the only thing
in there now that's alive
is the cat?
- Reality: Yes.
- There's not a person?
No person.
They're on their way?
Yeah, they're pulling up.
Taylor: Why don't we, uh...
Do you want to wait out
here with her for a minute?
And Joe and I will walk through.
Again, just to explain,
we have a search warrant.
It's...
- I-I understand.
- Taylor: It's en route. So...
It's alright.
They're just making sure, uh,
just checking to make sure
there's nobody else in there
or nothing...
surprise!
Surprise us or
anything like that.
- Yup.
- So...
I'm gonna make this
as easy as possible
for you guys.
Okay. Likewise.
So hopefully explain things,
get to, uh, figure this all out
and, uh, wrap it up.
How, uh,
how, how old is she?
We don't know.
She's one of those.
Oh yeah. Yeah. My, uh,
one of
my dogs is a rescue.
And when I got him,
he wouldn't, uh...
I was the only guy
who could touch him.
Huh?
Anybody else came in the house,
especially male, he'd
pee all over the place.
But I could touch
him, and it was fine.
So whoever had him
before was a real, uh,
phew, real piece of work.
Yeah. She was left in a kennel
and neglected her whole life.
Taylor: Why don't we, uh...
Let's get the groceries, throw
'em in the fridge real quick,
then we'll bring you
back out here, okay?
Joe: Is that...
Garrick: Uh, no, that's
it for the perishables.
Should be.
The neighbors.
Alright. If you could
just, uh, step over.
Just here.
Yeah. Just stop right there.
Look up here.
Joe: Just...
There's a cat in the
house, in the bed,
- or it's on the bed.
- On the bed?
- Or was on the bed.
- It's...
It-it'll probably go under
the bed at some point.
Garrick: The dog is in
the backyard in the fence.
Does...
does she need water?
She'll be fine.
She's been inside all
day with her water.
Garrick: Okay.
Alrighty.
Alright.
So would you like to talk here
or talk, uh,
talk at the office?
Uh, we can go ahead
and talk here.
Do you want to talk here?
- Sure.
- Okay.
Uh, let's, uh...
I'm trying to think
if we have any
private place, uh, there
in the house that...
D-do you have anything
there in the house
that we can kind of
sit that's away...
Away?
There's one bedroom
that's empty.
I don't...
I-I don't, I don't really
like to go in there...
other than...
I guess I don't really have
anything else other than that,
that back room.
That back room?
Okay. And it's, uh,
it's completely empty?
Yeah. You'll go in there.
There's, uh,
there's one dog kennel cage.
Other than that, I don't use it.
Garrick: Okay. Alright. Um,
y-y-you said you don't like
to go in there. But, uh...
Oh, gosh. No, it's
just... weird.
It's just creepy.
It's like an addition to the,
the back of the house
behind the kitchen,
and it's always dirty.
Okay. Alright.
We, we can talk back there
if, if you're fine
going back there.
- It's, uh...
- Yeah, we can go back there.
Okay. Alright. There's a,
uh, there's a back room there
- that we can...
- Taylor: Kind of like the laundry?
Garrick: that she'd
like to talk in.
Taylor: Yeah, that'll work.
It's too hot out here for...
Oh, well, I can make a pitstop
and take out the AC
if you need that.
Well, there's, they've
gotta do their thing
for a minute, and
then we can go in.
We can go in.
Oh, get the password.
Oh, what's the, uh,
how do you open this?
- Uh...
- Just hang on.
Joe: What kind
is it? An iPhone?
How long you lived in Augusta?
Uh... I was out here
October 2015 to April 2016,
um, TDY, and then moved
back this past December.
Garrick: What do...
what do you think of it?
Well, I willingly moved
back here as a civilian,
so I guess it must be alright.
Willingly.
You say that, you say
that begrudgingly.
Yeah. I, I mean,
originally, I...
My big plan is to deploy
as a Pashto linguist
and be in Bagram for a bit.
But then they hired me
out here for Farsi, so...
Wait, you're-you're
Farsi and Pashto?
Farsi, Dari, Pashto.
Wow! That's...
that's impressive.
I can barely, I-I'm barely
able to speak English.
English is hard.
Hmm.
Uh, but yeah, I
noticed that with...
Especially here at Augusta,
it's, uh, it's
great for families.
But, uh, single, it's,
it's kind of tough.
Like, I can't
imagine coming back.
Taylor: What's the, um...
Do you, uh, do you have
a password or anything?
- No password.
- How do we, how do we do it?
Show me how to do it or
tell me how to do it.
Swipe that?
Uh, yeah.
Taylor: No security?
No security.
You don't have a password
or anything that...
No password. Nothing.
Just anytime it locks,
- you just press the side there...
- Okay.
Until you see the circle
and just slide up a bit.
Okay, so it...
Did you already show
her the warrant?
Garrick: Uh, no, I haven't.
I was going to. We're going to, we're
going to sit down and show it to her.
Garrick: What made you
get out of the Air Force?
I, I wanted to deploy.
I mean, I learned
Pashto for a reason
and those opportunities aren't
in the Air Force right now.
Mm.
You figure that
with that language,
you could just raise
your hand and they'd go,
- Right here!
- "Yeah, go."
Yeah. No. Where I
was in Maryland,
they only had one billet
per year for Afghanistan,
and it was all always airborne.
Not even language.
So I imagine people are
just crawling for it.
Yeah. And I don't have my
airborne physical. So...
Joe: Is your dog okay?
- Does it need anything?
- She's fine.
- She?
- Yeah, she's...
If you can tell
we're all dog people.
Yeah, I can, I can tell.
Is she destructive at all
when she, when you
leave her alone?
Yeah, she's just
a nervous chewer.
Man: Whoa!
Where do you CrossFit at?
Uh, I'm at SEC.
It used to be on, uh,
Enterprise Court...
- Mm-hmm.
- Off of Bobby Jones,
and then we moved to Wheeler.
Uh, but my-my friend's
reopening the Under Box.
Garrick: You, you
going to go off?
Yeah. I'm just, I'm
just waiting for her gym
to open to, to jump ship.
Garrick: I did it
for, like, six months,
and I hurt myself.
- Oh.
- Just every single day was just pain.
- Yeah.
- So, I don't know.
I guess I'm just
too old and broken.
Yeah, I always say that
I, I don't do CrossFit,
- I do competitive powerlifting.
- Garrick: Okay.
And then I do CrossFit
when it's convenient.
Garrick: No. Uh-huh.
Taylor: What's your,
uh...
Powerlifting?
What's your, y-your
preference on?
What's your favorite stuff?
Oh, I'm just all upper body.
So, bench.
It's kind of sad. I
tested my lifts this week
because I have a
competition on June 24th,
and my max bench is 180, and
then my max back squat...
I have a, I have a back injury,
so my max back squat is 195.
- But I don't...
- Still!
Still not shabby.
No, it should not be that close.
How'd you hurt your back?
Uh, doing power cleans.
My, uh, pelvis wasn't rotating,
so I separated that joint.
- Sounds painful.
- Reality: Yeah.
I did, um, I was doing box jumps
and this hand just...
I was doing it by
myself. It hit the box.
And, I-I mean, I thought I
just fractured every bone
in the body, in
the, in the hand.
And I went to, I had to go to
the doctor to get the x-ray.
They said, "So how did
you do this?" CrossFit.
Four times they asked me.
I said, "No, I didn't get in
a fight. It was CrossFit."
I, I, um, I thought I could see
the bone on my
shin from that one.
Garrick: Wow. What was that?
Box jumps. Just
missed the box.
That's a moment you really
hope, did anybody see that?
I really
hope nobody saw that.
So I do have to ask just
however this goes, and I don't
want to make any assumptions,
but this is going to
be a thing where, like,
I brought my phone
into the building
and I don't see that phone
for three weeks or...
- So, we'll go over the...
- So, we have a warrant for the phone.
Yeah, no, and I don't,
I don't want to make
any assumptions or
anything like that.
Just, uh...
I'm, I'm teaching yoga tomorrow,
and my phone has
the music on it.
Okay.
I mean, there are... bigger
problems in the world.
So I, I can make do, I guess.
Yeah. And, uh, we'll, we'll talk
about that once we sit down.
Is there, uh, do you
have just a few chairs?
Like, kitchen table chairs
we can pull into that,
that back room or are we
gonna be sitting on the floor?
Reality: No. Uh...
yeah, if you want to sit.
I'm not too big on furniture.
Would it be too much
to ask if I can get
the cat on a leash and tied up?
Just, um...
I just don't want to be, like,
asking someone in the FBI
to keep the front door closed
if you guys are doing a search.
I don't see, I
don't see an issue.
Uh, uh, where is
the cat right now?
- In the bedroom.
- Uh, on the bed.
In the bed.
- Okay.
- Still in the bed?
Joe: Yeah, I think so.
Taylor: Where... um,
just safety's sake,
where are the, uh... there's
your w*apon and the...
The w*apon, it's right
by the little table
with the lamp right
under the bed.
Your cat's under there.
He's under the bed, or
she's under the bed.
Taylor: The AR is
in the case in here?
Yes.
Where's the other g*n?
Reality: It's behind it,
more against the wall
in the black case.
Can you get your cat?
- Do you want to get your cat?
- Joe: Can you...
Taylor: Do you want
to get your cat?
Joe: Do you want
to get your cat?
Just... Get your cat.
Reality:
Alright. She's good.
- Taylor: Okay.
- Garrick: Alright.
Taylor: Uh, you
wanna go back here?
Garrick: Yeah, you can go
ahead and go back in there.
This room is dirty.
I'm so sorry.
Alrighty.
So, uh, again, my
name is Justin.
You probably don't re-remember
any idea of who I am.
So, Justin Garrick with the FBI.
Uh, this is Wally.
He's my partner.
Um, so what I want to
do is kind of explain
that, you know, we do
have a search warrant.
Uh, you're welcome
to see the warrant.
You're welcome to
read the warrant.
And then explain a
little bit about it.
Now, if you're
willing to talk to me,
I'd like to kind of go
through just how this started
and, you know, give
your, your side of it.
We'll figure out
what's going on here.
Does that sound, uh,
sound good to you?
Okay.
Okay?
Yes.
Now I'm gonna take, uh...
Right here.
I'm gonna take, uh, notes,
uh, just random basis.
You gotta take notes.
Now, do you need
water or anything?
Ar-are you thirsty?
You're what? If you need
water, shout it out.
Uh... okay. I'll let
you know. Thanks.
Are you thirsty?
Uh, not right now.
Okay. Alright.
Um, if you need to
use the restroom,
any of that, let me know.
It's not a big deal. Okay?
Okay. So currently,
you're employed
as a contract, uh, linguist
with Pluribus?
Yes.
I'm sorry, what
languages you said?
Um, I-I heard...
Uh, Farsi, Dari, Pashto.
Garrick: Okay.
Any other?
- No.
- Garrick: I'm kidding.
I think that's enough.
That's
really impressive.
Uh, and you live here,
uh, sorry, by yourself?
- Yes.
- Garrick: Okay.
It's really hard without
a table and chairs.
- I-I'm so sorry.
- It's...
You don't have to
apol... It's your house.
Um, if you do feel
like, you know,
you want to sit or
anything, we'll sit.
Okay? I mean, if you
sit on the floor,
I'll sit on the
floor, I don't care.
- Hmm?
- Reality: Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Um, and I'm serious about that.
If you want to sit, please.
I'll, I'll sit down too.
Okay.
Um, so, again.
We have a warrant,
and it's... do you...
Would you like to see it?
- Yes, please.
- Garrick: Okay.
That just gave us the
authority to search
the residence, the
car, and then you.
125 pounds. You
guys flatter me.
Sorry, I have a sense of humor.
- That was on your driver's license.
- Taylor: That's right.
Okay, well, I lied.
Don't we all?
Attachment "B" just
explains the property
that we're authorized to search for and seize.
Any questions about any of that?
Um...
No.
Okay.
We'll just leave a
copy of that for you.
Garrick: Yeah,
we'll leave a copy.
Garrick: So, uh,
all this stems from a
report that we received
that you had mishandled
classified information.
Uh, my, uh, question is,
does that ring any
bells to you whatsoever?
It-it does now. Um...
When I started working
at White Law, I...
- Do you guys know PKI passwords?
- Taylor: Mm-hmm.
So I had a printed-out email,
and I put it in a folder.
I didn't have a desk yet,
so I, I took it with me
and passed through security
and went to Starbucks.
And when I came back,
they searched through it.
And unfortunately,
the email I had printed
out was classified,
and, uh, they, they
filed a report for that.
Garrick: Okay. Alright.
And, uh, what's
your work role there
at, at White Law?
Currently, I translate
graphics documents, and, um...
- Yeah, that's all I do.
- Garrick: Okay.
From Farsi to English.
So you're assigned to
a specific section,
- I guess, or group?
- Reality: Yes.
Uh, it's the Iranian
Aerospace Forces Office.
Have you been assigned there
your entire time there?
Reality: Yes, since February.
Okay.
Uh, is there any other issues
or anything you're aware
of that might explain
why that report was generated?
Like, ah, maybe
this, maybe that.
No.
No. Okay.
Um, so you currently hold
Top Secret/SCI clearance?
Yes.
Garrick: How long
have you had that?
Uh, I would say
since January 2013.
- While you were in the Air Force?
- Reality: Yes.
So you kept it through...
through the...
Did you...
I guess when you left the
Air Force, you kept the...
When did you lea...
When did you process
out of the Air Force?
Uh, I processed out
of the Air Force,
um, December,
uh, December 14th, um, 2016.
And up until that time, I
was looking for contracts
to try and get my
clearance renewed.
So your, uh, clearance just
kind of passed through?
It passed through. Yeah.
Okay. Alright.
Um, so, again, as
far as you're aware,
you haven't committed
any security violations
or anything you're aware of
other than this, this
PKI thing?
Other than the PKI thing, no.
I mean...
I-I do print out
documents at work
because it's easier for me
to translate them by hand.
- Taylor: Hmm.
- Reality: But then I put them in the box,
and then I don't get it mixed up
with, like, my, my
classified notes
because they, uh...
I use pretty paper.
So I don't take out white paper.
Mm. Got it.
An-and I know it
sounds really dumb,
but it's just, uh, it's
how I can do it now.
And after this stupid
PKI thing, I was like,
no more white paper out of
the building.
You, you said you
printed out stuff.
Yeah, I printed out...
Garrick: Is there a, a...
why did that come to
mind as far as security?
I guess
I'm, um, just trying
to think about
actual paper.
Um, I can't imagine
any other way
to get things out of
the building, I guess.
I mean, I-I'm old fashioned,
so thinking about that.
And just
with this PKI thing,
just making sure I don't
accidentally have anything
in my lunch box or
anything like...
- Taylor: Nothing got out of the building?
- Nothing.
You didn't carry anything
out of the building?
No. No. And I definitely let
everything get searched all the time.
So I haven't had
any other accidents.
Do you work on
any other matters?
No.
Okay.
Have you ever inadvertently,
either by accident
or, or intentionally
or whatever,
uh, gone outside your
need to know on items?
Outside my need
to know on items?
Um...
I do from time to time
look at a website
called My Online.
- It's, uh, drone feeds.
- Garrick: Okay.
I used to work a drone mission,
so it's all Afghan stuff.
But other than that, just, uh...
reading basic news
articles on NSA Net.
But I've never accessed
anything that's outside of...
Okay. Have you ever
gone searching for stuff
that's not related to
your, uh, your work role?
No.
Garrick: Okay.
You kind of already
answered this.
But outside of the PKI,
have you ever taken anything
outside of the, uh,
uh, the NSA facility?
- No.
- Garrick: No?
Uh, have you downloaded
anything? Emailed anything out?
- No.
- Garrick: No? Okay.
Have you ever discussed,
uh, any classified material
with anybody who wouldn't have
the, uh, prior US
government authorization?
Who wouldn't have the clearance
or anything like that?
Who wouldn't have the
clearance and the need to know?
No.
No? Okay.
Not many people ask
about Iranian aerospace,
so, uh... I lucked out.
So you never discussed,
uh, discussed work
or anything classified
with anybody?
Uh-uh.
Taylor: How's
the neighborhood?
I, I did not look at a map
when I signed the lease.
But I am well armed.
You seem to be.
What's your plans?
You gonna stay in the house
or you gonna move
somewhere else or...
Di-did you sign
a lease, I guess?
I signed a lease, and
I would only break it
if I get a deployment.
- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
Have you had any issues
here since you moved here?
I did, yeah.
Garrick: What happened?
I was coming home from a concert
in Atlanta and it was 3:00 a.m.,
and, uh, there was a, a
guy standing on the street.
And I wanted to make sure
that he didn't see me go
from like my car to my, my door.
And I thought I'd
timed it out well.
But then I was standing
at the sink getting water
and then someone starts knocking
at the door and I was like...
- Do you have a toothpick?
- Taylor: Huh?
Uh, it's, uh, 3:00 a.m.,
and, uh, my-my-my keys and
my phone were by the door
'cause that's where
I dropped them,
'cause I had to pee, so, uh,
very glad to have a, a
Glock Nine in the back.
Garrick: Oh, yeah.
Did not sleep.
Taylor: I'm sure.
Anything other than that?
Other than that? Um...
There's this...
People always ask
if you want your lawn done.
And, uh, someone came
and mowed my lawn
while I was in Belize last week,
so, uh, not really
cool with that.
- I imagine not.
- Yeah.
They're probably gonna come by,
knock on the door, and
ask for compensation.
Reality: Yeah.
I mean, if it's the same guy
I paid last time,
he's like this little old man,
like, in his 80s, so
I won't really be mad.
- But...
- When, uh,
when did you go to Belize?
I left on Saturday
morning and flew back
Monday morning, uh,
last weekend.
That was a quick trip to Belize.
It was a quick trip.
Taylor: What you
go down there for?
I wanted to see
the Mayan pyramids.
Taylor: Okay.
Reality: So, yeah.
Taylor: That's pretty cool.
Reality: I-I didn't
have any leave,
so I was tired of waiting
for the stars to align.
- So I just said...
- Taylor: Sure.
Got three days, let's do it.
- Taylor: That's cool.
- Garrick: Fair enough.
Spur of the moment,
that's pretty cool.
Did you go down there
by yourself or...
Yeah, by myself.
Garrick: Okay. Did you
do any tours or
anything down there?
I did.
Um, I...
The, the first day,
I went on, like,
a Altun Ha tour.
Uh... that was one
of the first sites.
And then the second
day, we did, um,
uh, we took a boat on a river
down to the Lamanai pyramids.
And then we came back and...
Yeah.
- Okay.
- Mm-hmm.
Saw a bunch of monkeys.
So you're positive you've
never printed anything out
that was outside
of your work role?
Uh, I'm trying to think.
Um...
uh...
because there's, um, there's,
there's NSA Pulse,
and, uh, from time to time,
I, I do print out articles
from that and use
as scratch paper.
Uh, th-that sounds really dumb.
Uh, now that
I'm thinking about it,
the things that I, I did
were r-r-r-really dumb, uh.
But then, I always threw
it out in the burn bin.
Garrick: Okay.
What kind of articles from
Pulse do you pull out?
Reality: Uh, usually reference
material about, like...
uh, just making sure,
like, so many references
that I keep having
to re-look up,
so that's probably a fraud,
waste, and abuse right there.
Taylor: We're not worried
about fraud, waste, and abuse.
Okay.
No.
I use a lot of papers,
but nothing outside of
Iranian stuff or anything
other than that, and never
outside of the building.
Okay.
Reality,
what if I said that I
have the information
to suggest that you
did print out stuff
that was outside of that scope?
I mean, I would...
I would try to remember.
Garrick: Okay.
What if I said
that you printed out information
related to, uh, reports on...
Taylor: Reality?
Uh...
we obviously know
a lot more than,
than what we're telling
you at this point.
And I think, I think
you know a lot more
than what you're telling
us at this point.
I don't want you to go
down the wrong road.
I think you need to, to stop
and think about
what you're saying
and what you're doing.
I think it-it-it's
an, an opportunity
to maybe tell the truth.
Because t-telling a,
telling a lie to an FBI agent
is not going to be
the right thing.
Okay?
Uh, you know, uh, again,
we're here voluntarily.
You're talking voluntarily.
I'm not asking you,
forcing you to do anything
but think.
That-that-that's what I'm
asking you to do is think.
So...
think about what
he just asked you
and let, you know...
There's one I, uh, printed out
because I wanted to read it.
Can you remember
what day that was?
I might mess up the
dates, but, um...
late, late March, early, uh...
- early April.
- Taylor: And what was it?
It was an NSA Pulse
article about...
- Garrick: Okay.
- And, uh...
I did print that one out.
Garrick: Okay.
Why...
Why did you print that one out?
Um, because I wanted
to read it.
Uh, the way I, I downloaded
it, it was hard to read,
so, um...
uh, just,
it looked like a, a piece
of history, you know?
And I, I wanted it on my
desk for, like, a day.
Did you, uh... H-how
did you find it?
Uh, so if you go on Pulse,
there's a...
uh, the top right,
they have a tab
that says "articles," and
I, I scroll through those.
Uh...
I don't know if you
guys saw the one
about the miniature
ponies, but...
- We missed that one.
- Reality: Yeah.
No, that was,
uh, that was number
one for, like, a year,
so obviously I go
to check to see
if there's any other gems.
And then there was,
there was that one,
and I saw it on the news
and I was just like,
yeah, I, uh, I
wanted to read it.
So, yeah.
- Okay.
- What did you do with the article?
I kept it on my desk
for, like, three days.
I'm going to be honest.
I only read, like, half of it.
It was the stupidest thing ever.
Uh, and then, and then
I b*rned bagged it
in the box with the slat,
uh, next to the fridge.
Taylor: Okay. Uh, did you
print out any other articles?
No, no, I just,
just, only the one.
Garrick: Okay.
Talking around it.
You're pretty sure it was
late April, early March.
Think about, uh, try
to remember, like,
details in your personal life.
I know! I-I'm trying.
I d... I don't...
I don't, I don't remember.
Um, I got in a fight
with the boyfriend that week.
God, when did I break up
with him? I-I don't remember.
God, I'm, I'm really
blanking on what week,
what the, what the weekend
was like before that.
- I-I'm so sorry.
- Garrick: It's okay.
Uh, I'm trying. God.
Yeah. Mid-, mid-April
is all I'm thinking.
Garrick: Okay. Alright.
What if I tell you that I know
that you searched for and
printed out a document
on the ninth of May?
The ninth of May?
Uh, let me see.
The CrossFit competition
was on the 12th.
God, was it really
that late? Um...
I-I-I mean, I can't argue that.
If-if you know, you know,
I mean, obviously you know.
- I mean, I-I just, I can't imagine.
- Okay, uh...
I mean, I guess we're
already June already.
It's, it's been a
really bad month for me.
Taylor: Do you
remember what you did
to get to that article?
Other than seeing it on the,
on the front page
or linking it...
Uh, do you remember
what search terms
you might have put in?
Probably...
I'm not very sophisticated.
Okay. So...
you did print out a document,
uh, an intelligence report.
Y-you do recall that?
Yeah, I do remember now. Yeah.
Garrick: Okay. What did
you do with that report?
I kept it on my
desk for three days,
and, um, I thought it was
interesting and I would read it.
And then I said, no, I sh... I
should not have this on my desk.
And so I put it in the burn bag.
Where's the burn bag?
Reality: Okay, uh,
it's in the, uh, break room.
Uh, it's the white box
with the little slat on it,
one over from the fridge.
Garrick: So you just
slide it in there and...
- And it's taken care of?
- Yeah.
Okay, Reality...
are you sure that's
what you did with it?
Yes.
Garrick: You're positive?
- Yes.
- Taylor: You didn't take it out of the building?
No.
Garrick: You didn't take
it out of the building
and give it to anybody?
- No.
- Garrick: You didn't send it?
- No.
- Taylor: You didn't send it to anyone?
No.
Garrick: Reality, can
you guess how many people
might have printed
out that article?
Reality: No.
It's not many.
That article has made
it outside of NSA.
Okay? Obviously,
because we're here.
And the most likely candidate
by far and away is you.
So now,
I-I-I don't think...
I don't think
you're a, you know,
a, a big bad master
spy or anything.
Okay? I don't. I
don't think that.
I think that I've
looked at the evidence,
and it's compelling.
Now, I'm not sure
why you did it,
and I'm curious as to that,
but I think
you might have been
angry over everything
that's going on politics-wise.
Because you can't turn on the...
you can't turn on the TV
without getting pissed off.
Or at least I can't.
I think you might have
just made a mistake.
Now, why I'm here and
why I want to talk to you
is to figure out
the why behind this.
Okay?
So... I ask you again.
Did you take it out and send it?
I... I didn't.
I-I-I put it in the burn bag.
I mean, I'm trying to deploy.
I'm not trying to be a
whistleblower. That's crazy.
Garrick: So how would you think that
a document would end up getting out?
Uh, I mean...
I, I mean...
Let's be honest, there's,
there's little to no
security on the documents.
- I mean, nobody pats you down.
- Garrick: Mm-hmm.
We talk about it all
the time at work, like,
"Oh, you have to show our lunch.
Oh, you eat so healthy,"
like every day, all the time.
And people just, they...
I mean, we, we have a building
full of geniuses, right?
And, I mean, I guess I'm just...
I'm, I'm, I'm talking
and I'm nervous,
but I-I didn't, I didn't
do anything with it.
I mean, I-I'm trying
to go somewhere else.
- I'm trying to increase my clearance.
- Garrick: Okay.
I mean, I... and I
know it was sensitive
and I thought it
would be cool to have
on my desk for a couple days.
Okay. But do you remember,
you said you remember
putting it in the,
in the, the burn bag.
- Reality: Yeah.
- Just sliding it in there.
Okay.
I remember that.
Folded in half.
Folded in half?
Yeah. Yeah, um...
Because it didn't...
Yeah, uh, folded in half.
What if I tell you
that that document
folded in half
made its way outside of NSA?
- I, I don't, I don't...
- Garrick: Made its way out
in an envelope postmarked
Augusta, Georgia.
See, things are starting
to get a little specific.
- Yeah.
- Garrick: Made its way to an online news source
that you subscribe to.
Getting really specific.
So I'm going to ask you again.
What is very, very...
very compelling...
I'd like to know the reason
because I, I-I don't think
you make a habit
out of this at all.
At all.
I think you just... messed up.
Now, I'm not sure
why you did it,
and I'd like to hear
from you on that.
But the what and the how
would you agree...
looks awfully bad?
It looks really bad. Yeah.
If you're angry about
what's going on,
if there's anything that...
Look, you've had a good career.
You have.
If there's something
that just pushed you
over the edge on this...
now is the perfect time.
This is a podium.
Taylor: You know,
like... like he said,
I, I don't think we're
coming in here to say
you're some big, bad mastermind,
prolific spy kind of thing.
I think what we both think is
that maybe you made a mistake.
Maybe you weren't
thinking for a minute.
Maybe you got
angry, like he said.
I mean, th-that's
what I'm hoping.
If th-that's the case,
then that makes us
feel a little better
knowing we don't have a, a
real serious problem here.
You know, that's something
that concerns us, too.
That, that this isn't
an, an ongoing problem.
But we need to figure it out.
And if it was a mistake...
let's deal with it.
Agent: Is this...
is this a room?
Agent 2: Is that a room?
So how'd you get it
out of the office?
Folded in half in my pantyhose.
Garrick: Okay.
And what did you do with it?
I put it in an envelope and
sent it to...
Taylor: Anybody
specifically there?
I don't think I put
a name. I just put...
Had you communicated with them
prior to you doing that? With...
No, I wasn't trying to
be a Snowden or anything.
Taylor: And that's what... I
don't think you were either.
I really don't.
But I, I, I think
you made a mistake.
But...
I don't think either one of us
think you were
trying to be Snowden.
No, it was, it
was just the one document.
- And like you said, because...
- Taylor: Right.
I've had, um, a, a
really hard time at work.
Uh, I've, I've, I've
filed formal complaints
about them having Fox
News on all the time
and, and, like, for God's
sake, put Al-Jazeera on
or a slideshow of people's pets.
Like, I've tried everything
to get that changed.
Taylor: It would
probably be a good thing.
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter
which side you're watching,
they're all pretty bad.
- Yeah.
- Taylor: But...
uh, I think the pets
may be the way to go.
Reality: The pets
would have been great.
Uhm...
but just having that
every day and then...
Where'd you mail it from?
Uh, mailbox
on, uh, Baston Road.
Taylor: Okay.
It's, uh, it's, uh,
the shopping center
with the bank and the Earth
Fare gro-gro-grocery store.
Okay, I know where
you're talking about.
At the intersection
of Baston Road
and F-Fury's Ferry.
- Taylor: Fury's Ferry. Okay.
- Garrick: Mm-hmm.
I never could say that
right. Fur-Fury's Ferry.
Taylor: And it was just
a mailbox sittin' out
in the middle of
the parking lot?
Reality: Mm-hmm. Just
a metal box, yeah.
- Okay.
- Garrick: Okay.
Taylor: Do you remember
what day it was?
What day of
the week was the ninth?
Let's see. Um...
Uh, we'll check.
Need some water or something?
I'd like some water
once we figure out
what day of the week it was.
- Okay.
- Taylor: Let's see.
I want to say it was, uh,
if I can figure out
this crazy phone,
I want to say it was a Tuesday.
- Tuesday?
- Taylor: Yeah.
Garrick: Is there something
significant about the ninth
- in other ways?
- No. Uh, it was,
it was just the first
day I saw it, uh.
If it... if, if...
It might have been
the 11th or the 12th
if, if I subbed yoga on the,
on the night of the 11th,
then, uh, the yoga
studio is right there.
Taylor: So it would have
been a Thursday or Friday?
- Thursday or Friday.
- Taylor: Okay.
What yoga studio?
Uh, it's called Oh Yeah Yoga.
So, you said maybe
you mailed it
Thursday or Friday?
- Reality: Mm-hmm.
- Okay.
How did you know to,
uh, mail it to...
Garrick: So you wanted
to be able to publish it?
Yeah.
Taylor: Did you send
it anywhere else?
- No.
- Taylor: No?
No other publications
you've shown it
to or given it to?
No.
Is there gonna be anything here
that we're gonna be
surprised to find?
No, I, I never took the
document out of my car.
Taylor: Is there anything on
your phone or your computer?
On my, on my phone, you might,
I don't, I don't
know if I deleted it,
but you guys are probably going
to be able to see it anyway,
but there will be a
screenshot of the address.
- Okay.
- Taylor: Okay.
Uh, you mentioned you
wanted some water?
Yeah.
- Yeah. Why don't we, uh...
- No, I'll make it.
Uh, I'm just gonna
get somebody out here.
Hey, can I, can I have
somebody in here, please?
Uh, do you want a
bottle of water?
Um...
Garrick: Do you have
a filter in the fridge
or do you just want
tap water or...
Ta-tap water.
There's, um, a,
a mason jar glass
next to the sink.
Garrick: Can I get one
person to stand here, please,
so I can go to the kitchen?
Joe: You guys, uh,
you're not going to
fit in there anymore.
She's not going to
fit in there anymore.
Taylor: She's still
under the bed?
- Joe: Huh?
- Taylor: The cat.
Is the cat still under the bed?
She's a big girl.
Oh yeah, we-we're trying.
Taylor:
How old is she?
She's three years now.
But girl likes to eat.
Joe: Oh yeah.
Reality: She likes carbs.
She's got a little
slim fit on her.
Mm-hmm.
She came out, I was like...
Both: Whoa!
Yeah.
She'll snatch bread
right out of my mouth.
- Like...
- Taylor: Wow.
Girl, you do not need those.
Water.
Thanks.
So other than the
screenshot on the phone,
there shouldn't
be anything else?
And there should be
nothing on the laptop?
Nothing on the laptop.
I do have a Tor browser.
Which probably looks bad, but...
Okay.
What do you... use, what do
you use the Tor browser for?
Garrick: Have you had any
contact with anyone from...
The Intercept?
Garrick: Have you
tried to reach out?
Like you said, I
saw the article,
and I couldn't believe
it wasn't a thing.
It made you mad.
It made me very mad.
Man: that Russian
interference helped him win the election.
Senior national correspondent...
Reality:
"Russia/Cybersecurity:
"Main Intelligence
Directorate Cyber Actors,
"redacted, Target
U.S. Companies
"and Local U.S.
Government Officials
"Using Voter
Registration-Themed Emails,
"Spoof Election-Related
Products and Services,
"Research Absentee
Ballot Email Addresses;
August to November 2016."
Man : If anybody could
show me that the Russians
got into any voting machine
anywhere in America and...
- They did... that... nobody...
- That's how you hack an election, Bill.
No, no. That's one way you can
hack an election. No one is...
Reality: "Russian General Staff
Main Intelligence Directorate actors
"redacted, ex*cuted cyber
espionage operations
"against a named U.S.
company in August 2016,
"evidently to obtain information
"on elections-related software
and hardware solutions
"according to information
that became available
in April 2017."
- What kind of att*ck...
- You're jumping to conclusions.
No, there is no jump.
- I'm simply telling you...
- Of course, you are.
There's not one
shred of evidence
- tying Russians to a hacking...
- Okay.
Reality: "Given the content
of the malicious email,
"it was likely that
the thr*at actor
"was targeting officials
involved in the management
"of voter registration systems.
"It is unknown whether
the aforementioned
"spear-phishing deployment
successfully compromised
"the intended victims,
and what potential data
could have been accessed
by the cyber actor."
Reality: It was right there.
And I just, I didn't care
about myself at that point.
Garrick: When did you realize
the technical capabilities
of that article?
Reality: Sources and methods.
Garrick: Sources and methods
are valuable to adversaries.
Reality: Yeah.
Garrick: Okay.
With that in mind,
why did you make the
decision to send it anyway?
Reality: Honestly, I just figured
that whatever we were using
had already been compromised.
And that this report
would just be like
one drop in a bucket.
Garrick: Is there anything
else you want to tell me?
Say?
Talk about why?
I was just...
I just thought
that... that week
there was just too much to sit
back and watch it and think,
why do I have this job if
I'm going to be helpless?
It was just...
I'm sorry.
It was just the final straw.
Was there something that just
just... did it.
Because you don't seem
the type to do this.
- I-I-I'm not.
- Garrick: I-I-I believe in it. I wanna believe in it.
I'm not. I...
I want to go out With
our Special Forces.
I mean, that's why I got
out of the Air Force.
I-I-I...
It's wh... It's why
I'm here in Augusta.
I-I was trying to
get my clearance back
so I could get deployments.
I... It just was at a time I wasn't
applying for deployments. I...
I had seven, eight
months left of a job
that didn't mean anything to me
because it's, it's Iran,
and I'm a Pashto linguist.
Like, what am I doing
translating Farsi?
I-I just...
I felt hopeless.
And seeing that information
be contested back and forth,
back and forth in
the public domain
with everything else that
just keeps getting released
and everything that keeps
getting leaked, like,
why can't this get out there?
Why can't this be public?
Were you surprised
to see us today?
Yeah. Actually, I thought
you were here to
ask about the house
because it's still
for lease online.
Because you didn't seem
surprised when we pulled up.
Oh, God. That's just because
I have a resting bitch face.
You guys turn around
and, and "FBI."
I was like, what is
going on, you know?
And then you showed your
badge right up and, uh...
I submitted my security
packet yesterday
for my clearance on E-QIP.
So I thought
that was what it's for.
I was like, why are
you guys questioning me
for my own clearance?
- But...
- Garrick: Okay.
That's, that's not
going to happen.
Garrick: Uh...
Taylor: Anything else
you can think of?
Garrick: What we have to do
is we have to do the search.
Of course.
Uh, you said...
Sorry, I have a sinus infection,
- so I sound...
- It's okay?
Garrick: I sound
awful.
Well, this is the best
room to be in it with.
Taylor: Do you remember
the site from memory?
Uh, if you scroll down to
the bottom, there's contact,
but it-it's not as
obvious as you think
because it's closer.
Mm-hmm.
How long did it
take you to find it?
About probably three
minutes of scrolling,
which felt like an
eternity sitting in my car.
- Taylor: Mm-hmm.
- Garrick: Okay.
- Yeah.
- Garrick: Uh...
you said the documents
stayed in your car.
- Yeah.
- Garrick: Where did you get the envelope?
The box of envelopes is...
it's on the back seat in the car
behind the driver's seat. I...
I had a bunch of forms I had
to mail out last December,
so it's been in my
car since December.
Garrick: Okay.
And the stamps?
Stamps.
I think I have about one
or two left in there,
uh, but I-I keep
stamps in the glove box
in case I have to
mail anything out,
like bills and stuff.
Garrick: Okay. In,
in your glove box?
In the glove box, yeah.
Garrick: Alright. Uh, I'm trying
to think if I have anything else.
Uh, the search, the, the guys
will continue the search.
Search the
vehicle and the house,
and they'll
photograph everything.
Um, you, uh, the
search team leader,
uh, is gonna sit down with
you and go through things...
My passport...
Garrick: Do you have,
uh, any questions for me?
Reality: So many, um.
This sounds really bad.
Am I going to jail tonight?
Garrick: I don't know
how to answer that yet.
- Okay.
- Taylor: What was the question?
- Uh, if she's going to jail tonight.
- Oh.
Said I don't have the
answer to that quite yet.
Of course, the, the search
is still going on, uh.
In the case that...
I don't have memorized...
The woman, her name is Cathy.
She works at the
Augusta Humane Society.
- Taylor: Okay.
- She can come and pick up the dog in the case that
I-I-I-I'm not here tonight.
- Taylor: Well, let's don't...
- Garrick: Okay.
It's just...
Taylor: Let's
don't put the cart
before the horse right now.
Okay.
Taylor: Okay?
- That's just, um...
- Taylor: I understand.
My only concern is getting her
and then maybe one more phone
call to get the cat covered.
Taylor: We'll, we'll
figure that out.
If, if it comes to that,
we'll, we'll figure that out.
Garrick: And I don't have the answer
to that yet. And I'm going to...
We'll, we'll cross that bridge
when we get to it. Okay?
Okay.
Garrick: Uh, what else?
Taylor: You turn it off?
Garrick: It's still recording.
Man : Copy.
Would you like to
sit down somewhere?
- I'm fine.
- You're fine?
Yeah.
Garrick: Reality.
Automated voice: Hello. This
is a prepaid collect call
from an inmate at
Lincoln County Jail
in Lincolnton, Georgia.
This call is subject to
recording and monitoring.
To accept charges, press one.
Reality: As soon as Mom
and Gary get to Georgia,
they're going to pick
up Mina at least,
and Mickey will stay
back with the shelter,
but they're safe in the house.
Everyone was really worried about
them when they searched my house.
Bunch of dog people.
Yeah. I mean, that was
the one thing, like,
when the FBI was
interrogating me,
they were just like,
look, we have
everything. We're just...
we just want to know why.
You know what I mean?
They didn't care
about anything else.
They were just straight-up
curious to know why.
They say Reality
Winner has two faces.
One an Air Force veteran,
a loving daughter,
and a yoga instructor.
The other, a person who
had taken a keen interest
in the Middle East with
suspicious motives.
When asked by the FBI,
Winner stated that she knew
the intelligence report
revealed sources and methods
used by the U.S.
intelligence agencies,
and she knew that compromising
those sources and methods
could be valuable
to our adversaries
and damage the United States.
She claimed to hate America.
When asked, "You don't
really hate America, right?"
She responded, "I
mean, yeah, I do.
It's literally the worst thing
to happen on the planet."
She was the
quintessential example
of an insider thr*at.
Obviously an intemperate
political activist,
how did she get a
security clearance?
We could ask the same question
about a lot of people working
in government right now...
Reality: I keep telling myself
to act more like I think
I did something wrong.
Woman: We are more
concerned with the leaks
than we are with the
fact that the Russians
att*cked our democracy
and that the
President's campaign
may have participated in it.
They didn't att*ck
our democracy.
- They did.
- That's a meaningful...
Man: If you look at this,
this is sort of like
The Intercept knowingly
or unknowingly
outed their own source.
I mean, it made no sense.
It's like, is it
that, are you that...
Sloppy? Irresponsible?
What is it?
Both.
As a journalist,
we count on people
to leak us information
that's vital
for our democracy to function.
Knowing what happened
with the Russian hack
was a very important thing.
Now, she did violate the
rules of her employment.
But this penalty that
she's gotten, five years,
is exceedingly long, one
of the longest penalties.
And it's obviously
there to create
a, you know, a chilling effect.
Right? So that other
people don't do this
and k... we stay in the dark.
Automated voice: You have one
minute remaining on your call.
You have one minute left.
Reality: If you could just get
that message to Lane.
Woman: Yeah, I will.
Reality: Alright. I
really appreciate it.
Woman: Yeah, of course.
I'm just worried that...
Reality: Oh, and
one more name.
Don Z. Last name
starts with a Z.
- Woman: Okay.
- Reality: Tell him I'm probably not gonna
talk to him again, but, um,
I'm doin' pushups like crazy
and I'm going to miss him.
Just let him know that...
Garrick: Obviously
been recording.
I'm going to...
- Taylor: What's up?
- Garrick: Going to end the recording.
- Taylor: I think so.
- Garrick: And stop the interview.
Taylor: I think so.
Garrick: So this
is at, uh, five,
let's call it 5:17 p.m.,
ceasing recording on June third.
Reality (2023)
Moderator: Maskath3