The American Civil Liberties Union, along with other rights groups, a cadre of celebrities, notable writers, and digital rights activists, are backing an effort seeking a presidential pardon for Mr. Snowden, who faces a possible 30-year prison sentence if convicted under the Espionage Act for exposing details on top secret U.S. surveillance programs.
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To be sure, however, the characterization of Snowden as a courageous whistleblower who took personal risks to expose overreaching American surveillance programs is rejected by many prominent voices in Washington and in the military.
Snowden and his supporters argue that although he stole information, the revelations have benefited the public because they led to improved privacy protection laws. “Of course, I look forward to coming home but I can not support the persecution of those charged under an Espionage Act when they committed no espionage”.
Meanwhile, Snowden has appealed to President Obama for a pardon of his espionage charges, but so far, the White House isn’t budging.
The pardon campaign launches just days before the Oliver Stone film “Snowden”, about the whistleblower, is released. “It’s about the kind of country we want to have”, Snowden said. On Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” Tuesday night, Gordon-Levitt shared some details of his four-hour meeting with the NSA whistleblower who is in asylum in Russian Federation.
Snowden, speaking from Moscow by video link to a news conference in New York City, said that he would return to the United States if he felt he would receive a fair trial.
Edward Snowden, 33, is asking from President Barack Obama to pardon him, but he is not sorry for his actions. “Urge President Obama to pardon Edward Snowden, and let him come home with dignity”.
The head of the American Civil Liberties Union also called for Obama to grant Snowden a full pardon. Snowden now lives in an undisclosed location in Russian Federation, which has given him asylum. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined, three years ago, such an outpouring of solidarity”.
Snowden called whistleblowing “democracy’s safeguard of last resort”.
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Romero and his supporters, however, remain positive that Snowden will get his happy ending. Two full-time staff members have been hired to specifically push for a pardon and manage the overall campaign. “That’s why the policy of the Obama administration is that Mr. Snowden should return to the United States and face the very serious charges that he’s facing”. He is single-handedly responsible for changing the way we perceive surveillance and national security, after taking a huge risk and revealing some of #NSA’s biggest secrets to the public.
