It&#x27;s indeed an exercise in douchebaggery, but the fact is, Smith has the right to subpoena the emails.  They&#x27;re public property.<p>If you saw The Martian, you might remember the arguments among NASA managers about how much information on Watney&#x27;s predicament should be revealed to the public.  It was pointed out that their only legal option was to lay it all out there.  That&#x27;s pretty much how government agencies actually work, and it&#x27;s not a bad thing.