Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Friday, May 10, 2024 79° Today's Paper


Should Edward Snowden, who leaked classified government spying information, be pardoned by President Obama?

  • B. No; traitor to U.S. (1112 Votes)
  • A. Yes; public needed to know (347 Votes)
  • C. Mixed; undecided (95 Votes)

This is not a scientific poll — results reflect only the opinions of those voting.

28 responses to “Should Edward Snowden, who leaked classified government spying information, be pardoned by President Obama?”

  1. Oahuan says:

    No but I would not be surprised if Obama did pardon a traitor. After all he called Bergdahl a hero and exchanged prisoners with terrorists.

  2. WizardOfMoa says:

    A person responsible for security of classified materials should be loyal to the oath taken at the onset of his/her employment! Anything less is treason!

    • gary360 says:

      So, what’s your take on Hellary? She’s walking around knowing she’s ‘untouchable’. If the shoe fits….

    • soundofreason says:

      I hear ya but…even when there is abuse of power discovered? Enough abuse that the govt DID have to admit and change policies ONLY due to this incident that got them caught? Really torn on this one. Fox was in charge of the henhouse until this happened.

  3. krusha says:

    Dude is stuck in purgatory in Russia, and it’s all because he sold his soul to sell out the United States. When you make a deal with the devil, you’ll pay for it tenfold later.

  4. SHOPOHOLIC says:

    And definitely PROSECUTE Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleeza Rice and…. DUBYA for deceit, fraud, perjury and personal responsibility for ALL American lives lost in Iraq and Afghanistan

  5. san_inu says:

    A definite NO, but our wimpy president will probably pardon him.

  6. downtown says:

    No pardon. The basic reason is quite simple. Snowden has not appeared in the US to be charged with a crime and convicted of that crime. Since he has not been convicted, he can’t be pardoned. He has to return to the US to face trial on charges. He violated a security oath and released classified information that was detrimental to his country. Unlike Daniel Ellsberg, who released a confidential report and stayed to face charges, Snowden was a coward and ran away. And, then he went to Russia to seek asylum. That does not make him a hero in my books. Even if he returns to the US to face charges, he does not deserve a pardon because he ran away. His cowardice does not deserve clemency.

  7. Pattyjane says:

    It’s our civic duty to inform on violations of the Constitution. This is the highest form of Patriotism. The media for the most part has done a poor job investigating anf informing.

  8. cojef says:

    Would agree that he can pardoned if he had not fled. His acts of defiance and running off to Russia is turned my stomach. He want to return, yet on his terms.. His acts were treasonable and that should be addressed first. Obama can and in all probabilities will pardon him before he leaves office.

  9. Donna2415 says:

    If Snowden is pardoned and returns to the US, he better find a good place to hide.

    • dragoninwater says:

      As crazy as it sounds, I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if he gets rehired by the incompetent HART staff as a choo-choo engineer earning $300k+ a year. Maybe they’ll even give him a $100k sign-on bonus for not completing his High School Diploma! haaaaaa

  10. residenttaxpayer says:

    Once he is apprehended, he should be held at Gitmo where he can be interrogated to determine how classified information he leaked to the Russians and how much damage he caused to national security……..

  11. wn says:

    And HRC gets a free pass? By the way, even if HRC is indicted and charge…she will be pardoned same as Bill did during the end of his term…”Pardongate”…Goggle it and check it out…and those in Congress could not bring about justice.

  12. bobolinko says:

    He’s not Muslim nor Black. Obama aint gonna do it.
    Bet you?

  13. BluesBreaker says:

    The question is worded to generate a negative response. It would be more accurate to say, “Should Edward Snowden be pardoned for exposing how taxpayer-funded agencies illegally spied on American Citizens and abused the authority and trust that was given to them”?

  14. keonimay says:

    Although Snowden committed treason, I believe he exposed a gross violation, of the general public’s freedoms. The government has spied on “We the People” and it would have never been detected.

    The Government Intrusion, exposed by Mr. Snowden, did not punish the government. If Snowden had not exposed the Federal Government, no one would have ever have known.

    For people who believe, that the government should not be punished, think again.

Leave a Reply