Chilling Flashback: ‘Transformers’ actor tells Jay Leno in 2008 how an FBI consultant showed him proof of gov’t phone spying years ago

The Blaze – by Liz Klimas

The leaks of previous whistleblowers have been recalled and compared to that of the former government contractor who leaked to the media classified documents of the NSA’s collecting of metadata from phone conversations. But these previous whistleblowers aren’t the only ones who tried to warn of government spying.

Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf in 2008 during an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno detailed how he learned phone calls were allegedly being recorded.  

Promoting the film “Eagle Eye,” which according to IMDb shows how “technology of everyday life [is used] to track and control,” LaBeouf told Leno that an FBI consultant for the movie said one in five phone calls made are recorded and logged.

“And I laughed at him,” LaBeouf said.

“And then he played back a phone conversation I’d had two years prior to joining the picture,” LaBouf continued.

Both Leno and LaBeouf concluded it was “extremely creepy.”

Watch the clip:

The conversation about the clip on Reddit, which originally dredged up the segment, identified the FBI consultant for the Steven Spielberg movie.

IMDb identifies the consultant as Thomas Knowles. A Redditor posted to Knowles’ LinkedIn page, which states he currently works as the CEO for Justus Consulting and Investigations.

His previous work experience, as listed per his non-public LinkedIn page, included being based in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and the Fresno Police Department.

Here’s some of the conversation on Reddit regarding Knowles:

captain_manatee: I know it’s fairly common for the military to consult on movies because filmmakers want expertise/ability to film military vehicles and the military wants to shape the public image. Guess the FBI does it too.

ItsMathematics: It’s probably former FBI working as a consultant because they have expertise. Not an active FBI agent on loan from the federal government.

ZoidbergMD: Why would he, personally, have a recording of Shia Lebeouf’s phone calls, if he wasn’t working for the government at that time?

ItsMathematics: Good point. I wonder why the FBI would even show Shia that kind of evidence. seems like a real dumb reason to admit to a covert domestic spy program.

Knowles talked about consulting for the film to KFSN-TV in 2008. The ABC affiliate reported Knowles being a retired FBI agent who had worked for former Congressman Tony Coelho. He said that when it comes to the film taking “theatrical lee way”  with some scenes that “seem a little crazy about the FBI, I just had to step back.”Knowles doesn’t elaborate as to what these “crazy” scenes might be, but the FBI in recent year — even the last few months — has been trying to expand its capabilities

Watch Knowles in this report:

After the story of the NSA requesting metadata from Verizon was leaked to the Guardian last week, President Barak Obama Friday defended the program and said “no one is listening to your telephone calls.”

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/10/chilling-flashback-transformers-actor-tells-jay-leno-in-2008-how-an-fbi-consultant-showed-him-proof-of-govt-phone-spying-years-ago/