I don't think pardoning Snowden would be a terrible action, to be honest. And this is coming from a person who knows full and well the gravity of him leaking information is (having held one). But it's not a black and white issue. On one hand the leaking itself is a massive betrayal but on the other hand it helped to expose a pretty serious violation of privacy that we might still not be aware of otherwise. He also wasn't putting people in danger or selling secrets or anything of that matter. I personally feel like the best end to the Snowden fiasco would be for the government to give him a deal where he serves a small amount of time for his crimes but I could live with a pardon.

The real problem here is you're setting a precedent. Plenty of guys know lots of stuff - savee?

2 hours ago, nausea said:

The real problem here is you're setting a precedent. Plenty of guys know lots of stuff - savee?

Yeah I get it. It's not an easy one. I can understand both sides there. I personally lean a bit more lenient to him, though I do think he should probably serve some time over it. But given what he leaked I think that should factor in and the sentencing should be lenient.

13 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

or to the US intelligence community (who would be vehemently against it.

Which would, IMO, be a good reason for doing so.

22 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

An agreement not to prosecute, signed by any United State's attorney (but preferably by the AG or other high Justice Department official), would be sufficient for Snowdon to safely return to the U.S. A presidential pardon would then be unnecessary.

Only for him to disappear shortly thereafter never to be seen again, and if that doesn’t happen then some zealous freak will probably shoot him for being a “traitor”! He can never set foot on American soil again unless he gets a drastic plastic surgery that renders him unrecognizable! 

Were he to somehow return unemcumbered by legal action related to his NSA disclosures, should he face any other challenges? For example, his failure to pay taxes on his earnings/royalties (accounting for the foreign earned income exclusion)?

 

Should his security clearance be returned to him?

 

Will he be re-hired, perhaps directly by the NSA or through a contractor?

 

Will he be due back-pay?

 

Does his wife have a Queen of Diamonds Halloween costume? Does she need special treatment?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowden should have never been prosecuted and hunted like a common drug dealer in the first place.

He should be given a medal, and be compensated for all the hardship. He did a favor for all humankind, not only the US citizens.

Perhaps the DT cabal has use for his talents.  Pardon granted, but you'll be kept busy through November 3rd, Eddie.

 

Even DT's top bootlicks aren't on board with this.

Barr says he's "vehemently opposed" to pardoning Edward Snowden

 

Not long ago Susan Rice expressed her disdain for Snowden in a television interview; my guess is DT brought this up thinking she might lash out, giving his orange countenance more attention and increasing the rage of his fans against this uppity you-know-what woman.  Never lose sight of his priorities:

more money

more votes

more attention