As the debate rages over whether Edward Snowden’s personal life is relevant to the NSA spying program he revealed, the journalist who published Snowden’s leaks, Glenn Greenwald, has had his personal life scrutinized as well.
Two articles came out yesterday about Greenwald’s past. One, by Buzzfeed writer Jessica Testa, was mostly praised for its description of Greenwald. However, the other article, published by the New York Daily News, was slammed as a “hit piece.”
The article revealed Greenwald was sued by a porn business he dealt with as a consultant in 2002. The business’ owner said Greenwald called him “a good little whore” and “a little bitch” in emails, claims which Greenwald denied.
The article also reported that Greenwald has unpaid back taxes and was once sued for having a dog that was bigger than his apartment’s by-laws allowed.
The rather mild nature of the revelations, particularly regarding Greenwald’s dog drama, sparked a sarcastic twitter hashtag, #ggscandals.
Drives slow in the passing lane. #ggscandals
— Murtaza Hussain (@MazMHussain) June 27, 2013
Glenn Greenwald was the first man to retweet justin bieber. #ggscandals
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) June 27, 2013
Even the former Chief Prosecutor of Guantanamo Bay, Colonel Morris Davis, joined in.
Glenn both dealt it and smelt it … repeatedly … and that’s just wrong no matter how you try to spin it!!! #ggscandals
— Col. Morris Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) June 27, 2013
A minor Twitter controversy also erupted over the article’s author, Dareh Gregorian, after Politico’s Maggie Haberman defended him from accusations he was smearing Greenwald.
@darehgregorian is a terrific reporter and a class act. — maggie haberman (@maggiepolitico) June 27, 2013
Gregorian is Haberman’s husband.
@maggiepolitico @darehgregorian At least you don’t have any conflicts in asserting that. No way. 🙂
— Roddy Boyd (@BoydRoddy) June 27, 2013
But Politico’s Glenn Thrush came to Haberman’s defense.
Who cares? Known him just as long as Maggie — we are all NYC tab vets. He’s a good one. @curiouser_georg @BuzzFeedAndrew @darehgregorian
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) June 27, 2013
In a Guardian piece preempting the articles, Greenwald wrote, “If journalists really believe that, in response to the reporting I’m doing, these distractions about my past and personal life are a productive way to spend their time, then so be it.”