Assange and Snowden pardon?

[Lexew1899]

I think they should be pardoned, since all they did was shine a light on the dark deeds of government. It looks like Trump is considering pardoning the Aussie. Hopefully Snowden gets a pardon too. What do you think?

[EmmaLee]

Absolutely, pardon them both.

[Luke]

Agreed, however they won't be pardoned. No one speaks the truth and gets away with it

[creator]

Yes, pardon both.

[EmmaLee]

https://thenewamerican.com/freedom-lovi ... fc7fadfbd4

Freedom-loving Officials Urge Trump to Pardon Edward Snowden

by Warren Mass
December 15, 2020

President Trump, who previously has used the power of his office to pardon such individuals as former Sheriff Joseph Arpaio, former advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney Lewis “Scooter” Libby, author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza; financier Michael Milken, and former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, is being urged by several members of Congress, including Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to pardon whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Snowden was charged by the Obama administration’s Justice Department with having violated the Espionage Act by sharing “unauthorized communication of national defense information” and “willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person.”

As was noted in a report in The New American in September, Gaetz cited an opinion rendered by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in early September that the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program Snowden exposed is illegal as justification for pardoning him.

“The government may have violated the Fourth Amendment and did violate the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (“FISA”) when it collected the telephony metadata of millions of Americans,” the three-judge panel unanimously opined. As The New American observed, the Ninth Circuit Court opinion contained several references to Snowden.

Responding to news of the court’s opinion, Snowden tweeted: “Seven years ago, as the news declared I was being charged as a criminal for speaking the truth, I never imagined that I would live to see our courts condemn the NSA’s activities as unlawful and in the same ruling credit me for exposing them.”

The charges against Snowden were based on his actions back in 2013, when, as an employee at Booz Allen Hamilton — which Bloomberg called “the world’s most profitable spy organization” — he worked as a subcontractor for the NSA. During that tenure, Snowden leaked to the Washington Post and to the Guardian (U.K.) a cache of documents exposing the NSA’s wholesale violation of the Fourth Amendment through its widespread surveillance of phone records and its monitoring of Internet traffic.

Snowden made anonymous contact with Glenn Greenwald, a journalist working at the Guardian, on December 1, 2012. After Greenwald decided that the measures that Snowden asked him to take to secure their communications were too annoying to employ and declined, Snowden then contacted documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras in January 2013. Poitras said that Snowden chose to contact her after seeing her New York Times article about NSA whistleblower William Binney. However, Greenwald began working with Snowden in either February or April 2013, after Poitras asked Greenwald to meet her in New York City, at which point Snowden began providing documents to them.

In May 2013, Snowden gave an electronic interview to Poitras and journalist-hacker Jacob Appelbaum, which was published weeks later by the German magazine Der Spiegel.

Afterwards, Snowden promised that nothing would stop subsequent disclosures. In June 2013, he said, “All I can say right now is the U.S. government is not going to be able to cover this up by jailing or murdering me. Truth is coming, and it cannot be stopped.”

Within months, information supplied by Snowden was published by media outlets worldwide. In February 2014, for reporting based on information supplied by Snowden, journalists Greenwald, Poitras, Barton Gellman, and the Guardian’s Ewen MacAskill were honored by Long Island University as co-recipients of the 2013 George Polk Award for Journalism — which they dedicated to Snowden. The NSA reporting by these journalists also earned the Guardian and the Washington Post the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

On June 14, 2013, federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Snowden, charging him with three felonies: theft of government property and two counts of violating the Espionage Act of 1917, and willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person.

On June 22, 2014, 18 days after publication of Snowden’s NSA documents began, officials revoked his U.S. passport. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Snowden’s passport was cancelled “within two hours” of the charges against him being made public the previous day.

Several prominent political figures have supported Snowden’s efforts to expose unconstitutional surveillance methods. Former congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) began a petition urging the Obama administration to grant Snowden clemency. Paul released a video on his website saying, “Edward Snowden sacrificed his livelihood, citizenship, and freedom by exposing the disturbing scope of the NSA’s worldwide spying program. Thanks to one man’s courageous actions, Americans know about the truly egregious ways their government is spying on them.”

Paul’s son, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), has continued his father’s position in supporting Snowden, recently tweeting: “James Clapper brazenly lied to Congress denying that the Deep State was spying on all Americans. @Snowden simply revealed Clapper’s lies and exposed unconstitutional spying. He deserves a pardon from @realDonaldTrump!”

Paul’s referred to Clapper’s reply to a question by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) during a Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing. Senator Wyden asked, “Does NSA collect any type of data at all on millions or hundreds of millions of Americans?” Clapper responded, “No sir. Not wittingly.”

Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) tweeted: “Now is the time to #pardonsnowden”

Former Republican congressman turned Libertarian, Representative Justin Amash, added his voice to his colleagues’ with his tweet: “Pardon @Snowden.”

[Robin Hood]

Assange can't be pardoned as he's not been convicted of a crime.

[larsenb]

Assange can't be pardoned as he's not been convicted of a crime.

OK, but then have DT pressure the UK to release him and then to absolve him of all charges leveled at him, to be followed by having all charges against him by the US, or Swedish governments, dropped as well; and with the stipulation that he be allowed to emigrate to a country of his choice that will protect him, hopefully Australia and/or the US. Heck, maybe even Russia.

[EmmaLee]

Assange can't be pardoned as he's not been convicted of a crime.

Pardoned in the sense that he can return to the U.S., his home, without being arrested. Trump can 'pardon' (delete, retract, expunge) the arrest warrant that is currently out for Snowden. That he gets his passport back and his name cleared from the smear the Democrats and others put upon it. And that he can live here, if he so chooses, in freedom and peace - able to work and provide for himself. All things the evil men stole from him for doing nothing but exposing their lies and their atrocities against the American people.

[larsenb]

I think they should be pardoned, since all they did was shine a light on the dark deeds of government. It looks like Trump is considering pardoning the Aussie. Hopefully Snowden gets a pardon too. What do you think?

Just a side note. It was rather amazing and perhaps a bit unsettling to see Pamela Lee Andersen come out in support of Assange w/in last year or so, even giving him direct support by visiting him in his UK jail.

[Robin Hood]

Assange can't be pardoned as he's not been convicted of a crime.

Pardoned in the sense that he can return to the U.S., his home, without being arrested. Trump can 'pardon' (delete, retract, expunge) the arrest warrant that is currently out for Snowden. That he gets his passport back and his name cleared from the smear the Democrats and others put upon it. And that he can live here, if he so chooses, in freedom and peace - able to work and provide for himself. All things the evil men stole from him for doing nothing but exposing their lies and their atrocities against the American people.

The US isn't his home.

[EmmaLee]

Assange can't be pardoned as he's not been convicted of a crime.

Pardoned in the sense that he can return to the U.S., his home, without being arrested. Trump can 'pardon' (delete, retract, expunge) the arrest warrant that is currently out for Snowden. That he gets his passport back and his name cleared from the smear the Democrats and others put upon it. And that he can live here, if he so chooses, in freedom and peace - able to work and provide for himself. All things the evil men stole from him for doing nothing but exposing their lies and their atrocities against the American people.

The US isn't his home.

He is a U.S. citizen, so if he wants to live here, he should be able to without abuse.

[larsenb]

Assange can't be pardoned as he's not been convicted of a crime.

Pardoned in the sense that he can return to the U.S., his home, without being arrested. Trump can 'pardon' (delete, retract, expunge) the arrest warrant that is currently out for Snowden. That he gets his passport back and his name cleared from the smear the Democrats and others put upon it. And that he can live here, if he so chooses, in freedom and peace - able to work and provide for himself. All things the evil men stole from him for doing nothing but exposing their lies and their atrocities against the American people.

The US isn't his home.

He is a U.S. citizen, so if he wants to live here, he should be able to without abuse.

Citation? I've seen contrary evidence for this.

[EmmaLee]

Pardoned in the sense that he can return to the U.S., his home, without being arrested. Trump can 'pardon' (delete, retract, expunge) the arrest warrant that is currently out for Snowden. That he gets his passport back and his name cleared from the smear the Democrats and others put upon it. And that he can live here, if he so chooses, in freedom and peace - able to work and provide for himself. All things the evil men stole from him for doing nothing but exposing their lies and their atrocities against the American people.

The US isn't his home.

He is a U.S. citizen, so if he wants to live here, he should be able to without abuse.

Citation? I've seen contrary evidence for this.

https://edwardsnowden.com/#:~:text=Edwa ... pabilities.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ed ... r-BB1aBbQr

https://nypost.com/2020/11/02/edward-sn ... tizenship/

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/02/ed ... ll-pardon/

[larsenb]

The US isn't his home.

He is a U.S. citizen, so if he wants to live here, he should be able to without abuse.

Citation? I've seen contrary evidence for this.

https://edwardsnowden.com/#:~:text=Edwa ... pabilities.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ed ... r-BB1aBbQr

https://nypost.com/2020/11/02/edward-sn ... tizenship/

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/02/ed ... ll-pardon/

A bit of a glitch here. RH was talking about Assange, then you brought in Snowden, after what seemed to be your identification of the US as Assange's home.

[EmmaLee]

He is a U.S. citizen, so if he wants to live here, he should be able to without abuse.

Citation? I've seen contrary evidence for this.

https://edwardsnowden.com/#:~:text=Edwa ... pabilities.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ed ... r-BB1aBbQr

https://nypost.com/2020/11/02/edward-sn ... tizenship/

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/02/ed ... ll-pardon/

A bit of a glitch here. RH was talking about Assange, then you brought in Snowden, after what seemed to be your identification of the US as Assange's home.

Actually, I had just posted an article about Snowden - then RH immediately after my post, made a comment about Assange. So all my subsequent comments were about Snowden (being a U.S. citizen, etc.), not Assange.

[Robin Hood]

Citation? I've seen contrary evidence for this.

https://edwardsnowden.com/#:~:text=Edwa ... pabilities.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ed ... r-BB1aBbQr

https://nypost.com/2020/11/02/edward-sn ... tizenship/

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/02/ed ... ll-pardon/

A bit of a glitch here. RH was talking about Assange, then you brought in Snowden, after what seemed to be your identification of the US as Assange's home.

Actually, I had just posted an article about Snowden - then RH immediately after my post, made a comment about Assange. So all my subsequent comments were about Snowden (being a U.S. citizen, etc.), not Assange.

I see what you mean, but the context was a comment about Assange. You even quoted me talking about Assange in your reply. It wasn't clear what you meant.

The conversation appeared to be about Assange.

And just to be sure, Assange is an Australian citizen and has never had residence in the US.

[EmmaLee]

https://edwardsnowden.com/#:~:text=Edwa ... pabilities.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ed ... r-BB1aBbQr

https://nypost.com/2020/11/02/edward-sn ... tizenship/

https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/02/ed ... ll-pardon/

A bit of a glitch here. RH was talking about Assange, then you brought in Snowden, after what seemed to be your identification of the US as Assange's home.

Actually, I had just posted an article about Snowden - then RH immediately after my post, made a comment about Assange. So all my subsequent comments were about Snowden (being a U.S. citizen, etc.), not Assange.

I see what you mean, but the context was a comment about Assange. You even quoted me talking about Assange in your reply. It wasn't clear what you meant.

The conversation appeared to be about Assange.

And just to be sure, Assange is an Australian citizen and has never had residence in the US.

I have only been talking about/referring to Snowden in my posts on this thread. The error occurred after I posted the article about Snowden - no biggie. Yes, Assange is not a U.S. citizen, so not sure how Trump could "pardon" him? I sincerely do hope Trump does what he can for Snowden though - he deserves a medal, not to be considered a criminal.

[EmmaLee]

Now, a post about Assange

https://cms.zerohedge.com/political/hil ... newsletter

"Hillary Hates Him & Biden Calls Him A Terrorist" - Aussie MP Urges Trump To Pardon Assange
12/12/2020

Nationals MP George Christensen has joined the growing chorus of activists calling for President Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange before he leaves the White House.

Assange is currently being held in London's Belmarsh prison, awaiting a decision on his extradition case to the US.

On Saturday, in an interview with Sky News Australia, Christensen told Sky News host Brent O'Halloran that Assange "has been a target of the Democrats, adding that "Hillary Clinton hates his guts, obviously, for exposing who the real Hillary was, and you've had a war on Assange by the Democrats and the deep state."

He told O'Halloran that president-elect Joe Biden has called Assange a criminal and a "hi-tech terrorist."

Christensen argues that a pardon for the WikiLeaks founder "is one way which he can stand up for free speech." He said it would irritate the Democratic establishment and would "poke the deep state in the eye."

Christensen concluded by calling the US "one of the greatest nations in the democratic world" and that "great document of democracy that is the United States Constitution is free speech and freedom of the press." [Oh dear, epic fail....]

"So I'm hoping that he will pardon Julian Assange. It's the right thing to do."

Watch the three-minute interview here:

In addition to Christensen, filmmaker Oliver Stone recently called for the president to pardon Assange and Edward Snowden without whom we wouldn't know about intrusive government surveillance programs, the US' aggressive drone strike program, or that Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign manager.

"The deep state Trump is serving by persecuting Assange is the same deep state that continues to plot Trump's own ouster. Free Assange!" Ron Paul said earlier this year.

[Lexew1899]

AMLO offers Assange asylum in Mexico.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sentin ... lum-519720