Ok, so it's 2012.
• Obama was spying on political rivals (Re: 4 FBI contractors) and members of the American public
• High ranking members of both the CIA, FBI (others?) are aware and involved in the plot
• During and/or shortly after this time period, some discover the spying and abuse of powers (Admiral Rogers? Michael Hastings digging on Brennan before his death? Andrew Breitbart's upcoming Obama bombshell before his death?)
Now it's 2013.
• To protect from scandal, the CIA and those involved in the illegal spying operation deflect, using “NSA employee” (CIA asset) Edward Snowden. The purpose of Snowden's drops was to frame the NSA with a “spying scandal” as a red herring for the Obama Admin currently running an illegal spying operation on political rivals (same playbook as the current “collusion” deflection)
• Brennan's involvement made him (and the CIA) very uneasy when Michael Hastings was getting a little too close to the sun, and he was eliminated
• Andrew Breitbart also may have also known, or was close on the trail, and a was also eliminated a year earlier in 2012
Plausible or potato?