Thanks largely to a movie debuting across the United States, Edward Snowden is back in the media spotlight and his fate debated anew.
Snowden is the former intelligence contractor who leaked sensitive documents about secret U.S. surveillance programs in 2013. He then fled the United States and has since been living in Moscow after Russia granted him political asylum.
Snowden claims to be a whistleblower who uncovered surveillance activity by the National Security Agency that was eventually deemed unconstitutional and then prohibited by congressional action. Federal prosecutors charged him with three felonies under the 1917 Espionage Act.
Three human rights organizations are urging President Barack Obama to pardon Snowden for his alleged crimes, which they characterize as “an act of conscience.” But a new House Intelligence Committee report portrays Snowden as “a serial exaggerator and fabricator” who caused” tremendous damage to national security.” The committee urged Obama against a pardon.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday Snowden should return to the U.S. and face the charges against him.
Edward Snowden: patriot or pariah?
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Pardon Edward Snowden?
The Snowden Effect on Government Surveillance
Fan or not of exiled NSA leaker Edward Snowden, he has become the poster boy for online privacy. The US Congress gave Snowden supporters a victory this week by allowing sections of the Patriot Act to expire that gave the government the ability to scoop up and store telephone metadata from millions of Americans who have no connection to terrorism.
Expiration of US Patriot Act Sparks New Debate on Surveillance
Ever since former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, now exiled in Moscow, leaked the reach of the US government’s surveillance on the public in the name of preventing terrorism, a new energy about official “spying” has erupted across the globe.
In His Own Words – Snowden’s Ex-Boss Reflects
I woke up early to attend a leadership meeting at Church. My attention in the meeting was frequently distracted with the events of the week….My phone had blown up with missed calls and text messages. The first text…simply read, “Looks like your worst nightmare came true. Wasn’t Ed your employee?”