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If Snowden ever does get a trial, they won't prosecute him for anything he leaked to avoid his justifiable defense. He admitted transporting classified docs to

If Snowden ever does get a trial, they won't prosecute him for anything he leaked to avoid his justifiable defense. He admitted transporting classified docs to China that were never released because the information did not involve illegal surveillance. They can put him away for life just for admitting to mishandling top secret data regardless if he released it or not. Pretty sure there are clear rules on storing that data and none include taking it on laptops to China encrypted by software likely not approved. He can never come back because of talking too much to the media, all that can be used against him Watch this http://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc http://youtu.be/6wXkI4t7nuc then imagine you are a federal prosecutor tasked with prosecuting Snowden. Go through all his interviews and find crimes he admitted to not related to the 200k docs he sent to journalists to prevent any defense. Bonus points find inconsistent statements you can manipulate to claim he is a liar to further wash away any defense. Automated tools to grab indiscriminate secret docs, illegal transportation, tons of potential crimes there based on his own admissions alone.

dllthomas 12y ago
"He can never come back because of talking too much to the media, all that can be used against him" He can come back if he's pardoned.
davej 12y ago
I'm not familiar with the whistleblower act but Snowden could legitimately argue that they were necessary steps towards "blowing the whistle". Snowden did not have the professional experience to be able to decide what information was safe to publish and in the public interest — so the responsible thing to do would be to present the documents to a professional while taking precautions to secure the data.
- josho 12y ago
  Your point is logically correct, but the grandparent is right as to what would happen in the real world.
  - marvin 12y ago
    Which is actually really scary, when you think about it! Because sidestepping the law when someone in power has been embarassed is the thing that totalitarian states do. Democracies under the rule of law are supposed to follow the spirit of the law. So maybe that's worth thinking about.

dllthomas 12y ago

"He can never come back because of talking too much to the media, all that can be used against him" He can come back if he's pardoned.

davej 12y ago

I'm not familiar with the whistleblower act but Snowden could legitimately argue that they were necessary steps towards "blowing the whistle". Snowden did not have the professional experience to be able to decide what information was safe to publish and in the public interest — so the responsible thing to do would be to present the documents to a professional while taking precautions to secure the data.

josho 12y ago
Your point is logically correct, but the grandparent is right as to what would happen in the real world.
- marvin 12y ago
  Which is actually really scary, when you think about it! Because sidestepping the law when someone in power has been embarassed is the thing that totalitarian states do. Democracies under the rule of law are supposed to follow the spirit of the law. So maybe that's worth thinking about.