WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2020) Pardoning whistleblower Edward Snowden, as suggested by President Donald Trump over the weekend, would mock the US intelligence community and embolden others who contemplate spying on the United States, US Congressmen Adam Schiff and Mac Thornberry said in a press release on Monday.
"To pardon Snowden now would completely undermine this Administration's position and mock our national security workforce who take immense caution in their work to keep us safe," the release said. "It would send a dangerous message to others who are contemplating espionage and the adversaries who would support them."
On Saturday, Trump said he would consider pardoning Snowden, who is exiled in Russia since 2013 on espionage charges for revealing that the massive US national security apparatus gather information in every American and spying on them.
"I'm going to take a very good look at it [pardoning Snowden]," Trump said.
Numerous Americans have voiced opposition to the practices of the national security apparatus as being anti constitutional and have appealed to former President Barack Obama to pardon Snowden but without success.
