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New York Times calls for Snowden clemency
The Hill ^ | January 2, 2014 | Rebecca Shabad

Posted on 01/02/2014 4:45:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

The editorial board of The New York Times is urging the Obama administration to grant Edward Snowden clemency.

“It is time for the United States to offer Mr. Snowden a plea bargain or some form of clemency that would allow him to return home, face at least substantially reduced punishment in light of his role as a whistle-blower, and have the hope of a life advocating for greater privacy and far stronger oversight of the runaway intelligence community,” an editorial published Wednesday said.

The paper argues Snowden blew the whistle on National Security Agency activities that have “exceeded its mandate and abused its authority.

A few federal judge has ruled that the NSA's phone metadata collection program is "likely unconstitutional," and a panel tasked with reviewing the agency presented a report to President Obama that’s said to contain reforms.

“Mr. Snowden deserves better than a life of permanent exile, fear and flight. He may have committed a crime to do so, but he has done his country a great service,” the editorial said.

Snowden has been living in Russia since August, when its government granted him temporary asylum. He faces multiple espionage charges in the United States.

In December, the White House downplayed rumors that it would consider granting Snowden amnesty.

The Times board wrote that many in the Obama administration have accused Snowden of damaging U.S. national security, but no one has provided evidence that that has happened.

“It’s why President Obama should tell his aides to begin finding a way to end Mr. Snowden’s vilification and give him an incentive to return home.”


TOPICS: Computers/Internet; Government; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: nationalsecurity; nsa; privacy; snowden
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NYT Editorial

It's time to bring their guy in from the cold.

1 posted on 01/02/2014 4:45:08 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
They always support traitors to the US. Had he been someone telling us how China was spying on us that would be a different story.
2 posted on 01/02/2014 4:53:03 AM PST by logic101.net (How many more children must die on the altar of "gun free zones"?)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Snowden blew the whistle on National Security Agency activities that have “exceeded its mandate and abused its authority.

 

Snowden blew the whistle on National Security Agency activities that have “exceeded the bounds of the constitution and abused its mandates under FISA, PA and PA II.

 

FIXED


3 posted on 01/02/2014 4:53:35 AM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Well, the problem is that while he did blow the lid of Uncle Sam’s domestic spying, he also revealed in minute detail how NSA spies on foreign governments and citizens (which I don’t care about). That’s where the real damage has occurred, especially with our Allies like Germany and the UK.


4 posted on 01/02/2014 4:55:04 AM PST by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I’m voting for Snowden for all my write-in candidates ... given the choice between a Demo or Rino, I’m writing in Snowden.


5 posted on 01/02/2014 4:55:35 AM PST by Usagi_yo
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
amnesty if Mr. Snowden would stop any additional leaks

He's been in the hands of commies and ex-communist thugs for months.. I do not believe he's got any control over leaks. They do.

6 posted on 01/02/2014 4:57:16 AM PST by WilliamofCarmichael (If modern America's Man on Horseback is out there, Get on the damn horse already!)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Let's analyze this for a moment.

It's obvious to even the casual observer that the NYT is an outright Obama mouthpiece.

But Snowden outted Obama's police state.

So, what is their REAL motivation? To make Snowden more accessible for assassination? To make him available for arrest on other crimes? What is their real, and heinously nefarious, motivation?

7 posted on 01/02/2014 5:02:04 AM PST by Lazamataz (Early 2009 to 7/21/2013 - RIP my little girl Cathy. You were the best cat ever. You will be missed.)
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To: Lazamataz

That.


8 posted on 01/02/2014 5:03:47 AM PST by abb
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To: Lazamataz

I agree, something smells like a fish here. The NYT is a mouthpiece for Obama. And they come out “pro” Snowden? If they were told to do this by the administration (as usual)...then why does Obama want to protect Snowden?


9 posted on 01/02/2014 5:08:36 AM PST by ThePatriotsFlag (...and to the Republic for which it stood.)
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To: logic101.net

Snowden isn’t a traitor to the US. To the regime that controls it, yes, but not to the US itself.


10 posted on 01/02/2014 5:10:13 AM PST by oblomov
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To: logic101.net

If Snowden gets amnesty, it will set an awful precedent: he will become a defacto “rock star” for leaking classified information. As a result, many with access to classified and big egos/fantasies will follow in his footsteps. Count on it.


11 posted on 01/02/2014 5:11:43 AM PST by rbg81
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To: ThePatriotsFlag

It’s simple: the NYT can ALWAYS be counted on to advocate an agenda which will weaken the United States. They are the perfect reverse barometer.


12 posted on 01/02/2014 5:13:35 AM PST by rbg81
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Yep. File under: keep your enemies closer.

They’ll offer to make him the “transparency czar”.


13 posted on 01/02/2014 5:13:45 AM PST by americas.best.days... ( I think we can now say that they are behind us.)
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To: Lazamataz
So, what is their REAL motivation? To make Snowden more accessible for assassination? To make him available for arrest on other crimes? What is their real, and heinously nefarious, motivation?

The cynical pessimism of the MSM and the Left drips from your keyboard - welcome to my world!

14 posted on 01/02/2014 5:25:25 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: ThePatriotsFlag

Snowden knows something that he hasn’t yet released.


15 posted on 01/02/2014 5:28:06 AM PST by oblomov
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To: ThePatriotsFlag; Lazamataz
....why does Obama want to protect Snowden?

Why indeed?

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” - Arthur Conan Doyle.

16 posted on 01/02/2014 5:35:26 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: logic101.net

Problem is...a lot of people on this forum also support the traitor Snowdon.


17 posted on 01/02/2014 6:39:38 AM PST by what's up
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To: ThePatriotsFlag

Pretty hard to rub out Snowden while he’s still in Russia ... get him back to the US, and he can be conveniently run down in a “traffic incident”, hey accidents happen all the time .... just like that woman in Hawaii who saw Obama’s birth certificate, and wound up being THE ONLY ONE ON THE PLANE who died in the crash ....


18 posted on 01/02/2014 6:42:02 AM PST by canuck_conservative
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To: rbg81

“If Snowden gets amnesty, it will set an awful precedent: he will become a defacto “rock star” for leaking classified information. As a result, many with access to classified and big egos/fantasies will follow in his footsteps. Count on it.”

Oh, they might give him amnesty and do a big show of supposedly cutting down surveillance for the sheeple. But that terrible accident/fire/medical/robbery that happens to him shortly afterward will send the real message


19 posted on 01/02/2014 6:57:20 AM PST by varyouga
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Combined with a Jonathan Pollard release, would cause everyone at the NSA and CIA to resign.


20 posted on 01/02/2014 6:58:46 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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