Snowden hopes to use movie spotlight to win presidential pardon
Rights groups launched a petition campaign asking President Obama to pardon the ex-National Security Agency contractor, portraying him as a hero who ushered in surveillance reforms. But can they win over a skeptical White House?
Edward Snowden speaks via video link during a news conference in New York City.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
On the week the Hollywood version of the Edward Snowden story opens in theaters, the real life听former National Security Agency contractor and his supporters hope the spotlight helps their cause.
The American Civil Liberties Union, along with other rights groups, a cadre of celebrities, notable writers, and digital rights activists,听are backing an effort听seeking a presidential pardon for Mr. Snowden, who听faces a possible 30-year prison sentence if convicted under the Espionage Act听for exposing details on top secret US surveillance programs.
, supporters of the "Pardon Snowden" campaign听are seeking to portray Mr. Snowden as a听"whistleblower who acted on the conviction that the public had a right and need to know about a global mass surveillance system that exceeded the limits of the Constitution."
But while many people hail Snowden as a hero for听exposing the scope of National Security Agency surveillance around the world, helping usher in surveillance reform in Washington, his backers may have an uphill battle convincing President Obama that听he听deserves a reprieve from prosecution.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday Mr. Obama continues to believe Snowden "damaged the United States" and said the NSA leaker should return home to face trial, where he will be "treated fairly and consistently with the law."
Responding to a similar petition signed by more than 160,000 people听last year, Lisa Monaco, the president鈥檚 advisor on counterterrorism and homeland security,听said Snowden's "dangerous" actions had "severe consequences" for US national security.
The American public appears to be split when it comes to assessing Snowden's actions.听found 44 percent of US adults approved of his actions, while 42 percent said he was wrong. A 2015 ACLU poll found 64 percent of Americans who were familiar with Snowden held a negative view of him, while 36 held a positive opinion. In that poll, only 8 percent of respondents听held a "very positive" opinion.
But in the three years since Snowden's first NSA leaks, which sparked a global discussion about digital privacy and security issues,听supporters feel that the tide has turned in support of his actions, so much so that Obama may clear him of criminal charges.
"We do think there鈥檚 a chance,"听said Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU, adding that Snowden鈥檚 revelations have had an international impact. "We believe this is precisely the right time for President Obama to act."
At a press conference Wednesday announcing the petition, Snowden appeared via videoconference from Russia where he currently living in exile and said he was听"deeply appreciative" and "moved beyond words" at the support for his case.
"This isn't just about me," Snowden said. "Whistleblowers are another check on abuses of power. We must ensure whistleblowers can act again."
To be sure, however, the characterization of Snowden as a brave whistleblower who took personal risks to expose overreaching American surveillance programs is rejected by many prominent voices in Washington and in the military.听
US intelligence chief James Clapper as "the most massive and most damaging theft of intelligence in our history."
And because of the scope of the听disclosures,听Stewart Baker, a former NSA general counsel, doubted Obama would grant a pardon. "It sounds like they're banking on the idea the president is a significant Snowden fan, and I鈥檝e seen no evidence that鈥檚 the case," Mr. Baker said.
"Only 1 kilobyte of the 1 gigabyte of data he's released has started a debate," he said. "The rest is serving the interest of the Russians and Chinese, and President Obama knows that."
Still, said听ACLU attorney Ben Wizner, who heads up Snowden's legal team, the best way to bring his client home is by using public pressure on the White House. "We need to find the political will."
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