Obama urged to pardon Snowden before leaving office

[LuckyTheDog]

Last edited Tue Jun 28, 2016, 02:14 AM - Edit history (1)

Edward Snowden‘s lawyer is renewing a push for clemency for the famous NSA whistleblower from the White House before President Barack Obama leaves office in January.

“We’re going to make a very strong case between now and the end of this administration that this is one of those rare cases for which the pardon power exists,”said Ben Wizner, head of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project and Snowden’s legal advocate.

“It’s not for when somebody didn’t break the law. It’s for when they did and there are extraordinary reasons for not enforcing the law against the person,” Wizner said.

Wizner discussed his plans with the journalist Andrew Rice for a New York Magazine cover story about Snowden. Although Snowden admits that “much of Washington remains hostile to him,” according to Rice’s article, he “is optimistic that he will find a way out, somehow.”

MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/obama-urged-pardon-snowden-leaving-office/

[skidoo]

1. Snowden is a hero. Future generations will recognize him as a hero of democracy.

[nationalize the fed]

34. +1000

Imagine the outrage if a Republican admin had been caught trashing the 4th amendment.

[skidoo]

35. Many respected journalists have mentioned how restrictive Obama's administration has been in

making information available. As well as pursuing legal action against whistle blowers and other journalist seeking to make government information available.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Chance of that happening - less than the chance of Trump becomming President. n/t

[bhikkhu]

3. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but don't you have to be convicted of a crime to be pardoned?

Snowden was charged, but fled to avoid facing a trial. Obama could ask the DOJ to drop the charges, but there's nothing he could do to prevent the charges from being refiled later.

[wildbilln864]

5. nope! remember Nixon? n/t

[Crabby Appleton]

7. No, example Richard Nixon. nt

[MohRokTah]

8. Ford pardoned Nixon.

There doesn't need to be a conviction for a president to pardon.

[bhikkhu]

12. In that case, I'd like to see it happen. n/t

[MohRokTah]

14. And I would like to see him spend the rest of his life rotting in a federal Supermax

No human contact. 23.5 hours per day in a six by six box with a cot and a toilet for company.

[840high]

43. So do I.

[MohRokTah]

4. I doubt seriously if Obama would pardon a criminal whose actions border on treason. eom

[wildbilln864]

6. innocent until proven guilty!

He is not a criminal but a hero! A champion of democracy!

[skidoo]

9. Agree. Snowden alerted Americans to the depth that the US was spying on its own citizens.

[Adrahil]

38. And also legitimate foreign intelligence operations! What a hero!

Fuck Snowden. If he returned voluntarily, attod trial and admitted wrong-doing, I MIGHT consider supporting a pardon, or at least commutation, but so long as he cowers in Moscow and refuses to admit any wrong doing... well, enjoy Moscow, Eddie!

[840high]

44. I admire the chance he took. Free him.

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. "Not proven guilty" because he fled the country to avoid a conviction.

[wildbilln864]

11. yet still innocent until proven otherwise! n/t

[MohRokTah]

17. That standard only applies to juries

He's fucking guilty and I have every right to hold that opinion.

Especially since the fucker is on tape bragging about his treason.

[wildbilln864]

20. glad you admit it's just your opinion.

Opinions are just like assholes in that everyone has one. And usually they stink.

[1StrongBlackMan]

29. No ... He fleed the country to avoid being assassinated!

[MohRokTah]

13. He's a traitor who deserves a traitor's punishment. eom

[wildbilln864]

15. that is your opinion of course & many disagree. n/t

[MohRokTah]

16. And many agree. eom

[wildbilln864]

18. yes many authoritarians do agree...

but that has little to do with reality.

[MohRokTah]

21. Many anarchists disagree

but that has little to do wit reality.

[giftedgirl77]

33. You lost the argument the minute you threw out that silly

Last edited Mon Jun 27, 2016, 06:48 PM - Edit history (1)

ass catch phrase.

[wildbilln864]

36. more opinion! and no I did not but you did by the way...

I think you meant "threw" not "through". Funny someone who doesn't know the difference tells me I lost an argument!

[giftedgirl77]

37. Oooh excuse me for responding while at the gym...

Not to mention I'm ESL thank you very much. Maybe you should try another one like Oligarchy or Establishment???

[wildbilln864]

39. yeah that's the reason alright.

[Tarheel_Dem]

19. But many more do agree. Look up any US poll on the subject. n/t

[wildbilln864]

23. right and about the same ones think Bush/Cheney were great presidents.

so there's that.

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. So the minority opinion should win the day?

[wildbilln864]

26. nope! nor should men be condemned without due process.

But that seems to be acceptable these days.

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. Kinda hard to make that argument from Moscow.

[wildbilln864]

28. Many are tried in their absence...

What prevents that with Snowden?

[Tarheel_Dem]

31. Ask his former KGB lawyer. n/t

[Tarheel_Dem]

22. ^^^ THIS ^^^. And if PBO issues a pardon, it will be against majority public opinion.

[wildbilln864]

25. so that would be something new? Nope! PBO wants TPP!

So there's that.

[Tarheel_Dem]

30. The difference being one thing he can do by himself, the other one, he can't. He won't get TPP &

he won't pardon a traitor. So there's that as well.

[giftedgirl77]

32. Nope, fuck that noise.

👎

[struggle4progress]

40. Or Snowden could just declare himself a sovereign citizen, not subject to the laws

of the United States

[bravenak]

41. Not just not but Hell no

[TNProfessor]

42. He won't... thank goodness. Nt

[840high]

45. Yes. Hope he does.