

US hints at Edward Snowden plea bargain to allow return from Russia - lettergram
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/23/edward-snowden-nsa-plea-bargain-russia

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mullingitover
This might've worked if they'd offered him full clemency _the same day_ the
leaks started coming out. The handling of his case shows that capturing and
punishing him was far more important to the administration than any concerns
about national security.

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krapp
I think concerns about national security are why the government wanted to
capture and punish him to begin with. That hasn't happened fast enough and the
wind is now behind Snowden's back. Showing some semblance of the possibility
of mercy at least is more politically feasible than calling for his head, and
they're still hoping they can stop the release of... whatever else there could
possibly be.

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mtgx
Oh, another one of US' famously unjust "plea bargains". They're just trying to
make him admit that what he did is wrong in return for a "lesser punishment",
to ensure nobody ever dares to become a whistleblower again if they know for
sure they will be punished for it.

They're basically offering him the Aaron Swartz deal: admit you're a criminal,
and we're going to put you in prison for "only" 10 percent of the ridiculous
amount of prison time we're threatening you with. If I were him I'd say hell
no.

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Zigurd
Let's see if Carmen Ortiz and Stephen Heymann get this gig. I'm sure they'll
exercise great judgement.

