Lawyer and blogger Glenn Greenwald, who was responsible for bringing UK-based publication The Guardian its biggest scoop in decades, is leaving the newspaper for "once-in-a-career dream journalistic opportunity."
46-year old Greenwald was responsible for leaking the story of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who shed light on the extent of U.S. Intelligence's Internet and phone surveillance.
On Tuesday, October 15, Greenwald told BuzzFeed that he is quitting the Guardian for a "brand-new, large-scale, broadly focused media outlet."
"My partnership with the Guardian has been extremely fruitful and fulfilling: I have high regard for the editors and journalists with whom I worked and am incredibly proud of what we achieved," said Greenwald in a statement posted online. "The decision to leave was not an easy one, but I was presented with a once-in-a-career dream journalistic opportunity that no journalist could possibly decline."
Greenwald further disclosed that since the news leaked before the official announcement, he was unable to "provide any details of this momentous new venture, but it will be unveiled very shortly;"
Jennifer Lindenauer, a spokesperson for the Guardian, said that even though the publication was "disappointed" to lose him, Greenwald and the news organization were parting on good terms.
"Glenn Greenwald is a remarkable journalist and it has been fantastic working with him. Our work together over the last year has demonstrated the crucial role that responsible investigative journalism can play in holding those in power to account. We are of course disappointed by Glenn's decision to move on, but can appreciate the attraction of the new role he has been offered. We wish him all the best," Lindenauer said.
Greenwald has not revealed the scale of the new venture but has let on that it will be "a very well-funded ... very substantial new media outlet." Per reports, it will be funded by a "philanthropist" and Greenwald will primarily focus on the political journalism unit. He will be based out of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and bring some staff there even though the main hub would be New York City, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco.
"My role, aside from reporting and writing for it, is to create the entire journalism unit from the ground up by recruiting the journalists and editors who share the same journalistic ethos and shaping the whole thing - but especially the political journalism part - in the image of the journalism I respect most," per Greenwald.
Greenwald has been criticized severely for his work with Edward Snowden, who is currently seeking asylum in Russia and is wanted by the US on espionage charges.
