Congress Executive Branch Intelligence Surveillance & Privacy

Charging Snowden With...Murder? Really?

Wells Bennett
Wednesday, October 22, 2014, 12:57 PM
Offered without (or only a little) further comment: this piece from The Hilland a rather eyebrow-raising quotation therein from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers regarding Edward Snowden:
The former government contractor who leaked details about secret programs of the National Security Agency (NSA) and its British counterpart is a “traitor,” Chairman Mike Rog

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Offered without (or only a little) further comment: this piece from The Hilland a rather eyebrow-raising quotation therein from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers regarding Edward Snowden:
The former government contractor who leaked details about secret programs of the National Security Agency (NSA) and its British counterpart is a “traitor,” Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) told members of Parliament in the British House of Commons on Tuesday, according to reports. "We are treating him, as I would argue, [like] the traitor that he is," Rogers added. "And by the way---and this is important---I would charge him for murder."
So far the Justice Department has not charged Snowden with murder, or even hinted in that direction. Pursuing a murder count would raise the stakes significantly, both for the United States and, naturally, Snowden himself. It's also totally unclear what basis, if any, Rogers may have for suggesting this. Who exactly is Snowden supposed to have killed, when, and where? If Rogers has any grounds---factual or legal---for this rather dramatic statement, he should make them clear.

Wells C. Bennett was Managing Editor of Lawfare and a Fellow in National Security Law at the Brookings Institution. Before coming to Brookings, he was an Associate at Arnold & Porter LLP.

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