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posted by n1 on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:54AM   Printer-friendly
from the no-and-no-means-no dept.

A campaign to pardon NSA leaker Edward Snowden, launched in combination with a fawning Oliver Stone film about him, hasn't made any headway. The request spurred the entire membership of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, 13 Republicans and 9 Democrats, to send a letter to President Barack Obama urging against a pardon. "He is a criminal," they stated flatly.

Obama weighed in on the matter on Friday. During his European tour, he was interviewed by Der Spiegel—the largest newspaper in Germany, a country where Snowden is particularly popular. After discussing a wide range of issues, he was asked: Are you going to pardon Edward Snowden?

Obama replied: "I can't pardon somebody who hasn't gone before a court and presented themselves, so that's not something that I would comment on at this point."

Will the NSA's spying and Snowden's actions come to define Obama's legacy?


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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Snotnose on Tuesday November 22 2016, @04:24AM

    by Snotnose (1623) on Tuesday November 22 2016, @04:24AM (#431051)

    Came here to say this. Comey didn't press charges against HRC cuz he didn't want to influence the election process. Never mind he did by not prosecuting.

    But Comey laid out a pretty devastating case against HRC which, if Trump wants to pursue, will let us all see how well she can dance.

    Me? I can hardly wait. I'll forgo a Snowden pardon to watch an HRC dance to plea dealing treason. Be nice to see a Snowden pardon, but even nicer to see HRC in jail.

    --
    Why shouldn't we judge a book by it's cover? It's got the author, title, and a summary of what the book's about.
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  • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 22 2016, @06:03AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 22 2016, @06:03AM (#431084)

    Too bad Trump already backed out of the idea of prosecuting Hillary [redstate.com], saying the Clintons are "good people" and that he "doesn't want to hurt them".

    • (Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday November 22 2016, @12:03PM

      by Phoenix666 (552) on Tuesday November 22 2016, @12:03PM (#431174) Journal

      I don't expect he will prosecute Hillary either. It would be a pleasant surprise if he would, though. He has to do something to justify his election, and status quo won't cut it. A sharp departure from business as usual is the only thing that will avoid what have followed a Hillary victory.

      --
      Washington DC delenda est.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:36PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:36PM (#431226)

        Just announced this morning... Trump will not prosecute Hellary.

    • (Score: 2) by jmorris on Tuesday November 22 2016, @07:32PM

      by jmorris (4844) on Tuesday November 22 2016, @07:32PM (#431431)

      Of course he said that. He doesn't want to give Obama any excuse to issue a blanket pardon. And besides, if he said "Lock her up!" now it would be an improper meddling with the justice system. But if the FBI hands the DOJ an airtight case and the DOJ appoints a Special Prosecutor Trump can't object, right? He has to "allow the system of justice to [blah blah]" and if an indictment is returned for serious crimes, which any honest effort WILL produce, then he just has to "be saddened by these serious charges [blah blah]" and watch her wiggle on the hook with his trademark shitlord smirk.

  • (Score: 2) by BK on Tuesday November 22 2016, @06:11AM

    by BK (4868) on Tuesday November 22 2016, @06:11AM (#431087)

    But Comey laid out a pretty devastating case against HRC

    But it will be allowed to drop... or it will be held in reserve in case other things don't pan out.

    The first domino to fall will probably be Huma Abedin. She was simultaneously employed by both the State Department and by the Clinton Foundation and there are a few public emails that show that she did use the State role to do favors for 'donors'. With Weiner's laptop, it's safe to say that the FBI will find more evidence of this.

    The question is whether she has evidence that HRC (or anyone else at State or at the Foundation) knew about this or even ordered it... and whether she will provide that evidence. By all accounts she is loyal to HRC... In her defense, I believe that she and the Foundation thought that they were working the con in the other direction -- not peddling influence but benefiting from misplaced gratitude.

    For DJT, a long investigation gives the angry side of his base a place to focus. Best case, DJT is going to have a dysfunctional first year. This could be a helpful distraction.

    --
    ...but you HAVE heard of me.
  • (Score: 2) by Arik on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:00PM

    by Arik (4543) on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:00PM (#431206) Journal
    "Comey didn't press charges against HRC cuz he didn't want to influence the election process."

    Yeah, about that, you realize that wasn't his call to make? There was some massive fsckwaddery going on there...

    http://original.antiwar.com/andrew-p-napolitano/2016/10/26/what-happened-to-the-fbi/
    --
    If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
  • (Score: 2) by stretch611 on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:30PM

    by stretch611 (6199) on Tuesday November 22 2016, @02:30PM (#431223)

    Trump will NOT pursue Hillary legally.

    The simple fact is Trump goes after HRC, his successor will go after him. And there is always something.

    --
    Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
  • (Score: 1) by DeVilla on Sunday November 27 2016, @02:56AM

    by DeVilla (5354) on Sunday November 27 2016, @02:56AM (#433512)

    I'd rather the Snowden pardon. That's just the preference to favor letting a guilt person go free over punishing an innocent person.