Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said today in an interview with Yahoo News that a “possibility exists” of making a deal with Edward Snowden:
Holder said “we are in a different place as a result of the Snowden disclosures” and that “his actions spurred a necessary debate” that prompted President Obama and Congress to change policies on the bulk collection of phone records of American citizens.
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Snowden is the former contractor with the NSA who revealed documents he obtained in that capacity to the press.
Snowden was charged in 2013 with leaking classified federal documents. In May of 2013 Snowden fled to Hong Kong from Hawaii where he worked at an NSA facility and from where he purportedly leaked a large number of classified documents to select journalists. He eventually made his way to Moscow.
(Photo Attribution: Screenshot of interview via Wikipedia)
Holder seemed to go further than past administration pronouncements on Snowden's actions, with references to bringing "necessary debate" and putting U.S. in a different place with regards to surveillance as a result of Snowden's actions.
On July 2, 2013, the U.S. Government was so intent on apprehending Snowden, that they forced the rerouting Bolivian Presient Evo Morales's plane because they believed Snowden was on the plane. (He wasn't)
Holder and the Justice Department had previously expressed a willingness to discuss Snowden's case with him only if he returned to the U.S. first, to face criminal charges.
There has been no official word from the Obama administration. And not surprisingly, not everyone agrees with Holder:
“I’m quite stunned that we would be considering any return of Snowden to this country other than to meet a jury of his peers, period,” said Michael Hayden, former director of both the NSA and CIA under President George W. Bush, when asked about Holder’s comments.
What Snowden did, however, “was the greatest hemorrhaging of legitimate American secrets in the history of the republic, no question about it,” Hayden added.
And Snowden's lawyer is against any felony plea:
Snowden’s lawyer, said any felony plea by Snowden that results in prison time would be unacceptable to his client. “Our position is he should not be reporting to prison as a felon and losing his civil rights as a result of his act of conscience,” he said.
Given the past vigor in pursuing Snowden, it will be interesting to see if the Feds will now strike a plea deal with him and if Snowden will feel safe coming home to accept it.