Edward Snowden performed a “public service” by prompting a debate over national surveillance tactics, even though leaking classified documents was still inappropriate and illegal, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says.
Holder praised the result of Snowden’s decision to leak intelligence information while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency in 2013. While illegal, Snowden’s actions started an important conversation which led to some needed changes in how surveillance is conducted, Holden said on a podcast over the weekend.
“We can certainly argue about the way in which Snowden did what he did, but I think that he actually performed a public service by raising the debate that we engaged in and by the changes that we made,” Holder told told Obama adviser David Axelrod on a podcast called “The Axe Files,” which is produced by CNN and the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.
At the same time, Holder said Snowden “harmed American interests” and will have to pay a penalty for his actions.
“I know there are ways in which certain of our agents were put at risk, relationships with other countries were harmed, our ability to keep the American people safe was compromised,” said Holder, who was heading the Justice Department at the time.
“There were all kinds of re-dos that had to be put in place as a result of what he did, and while those things were being done we were blind in certain really critical areas,” Holder added. “So what he did was not without consequence.”
Later Monday, Snowden appeared to respond to Holder’s comments with an ironic tweet suggesting his actions had evolved from “treason” to “a public service.”
2013: It’s treason!
2014: Maybe not, but it was reckless
2015: Still, technically it was unlawful
2016: It was a public service but
2017:— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 30, 2016
Holder said Snowden should return from Russia, where he’s been seeking refuge for the last few years, and deal with the consequences. But he urged that any judge considering Snowden’s penalty should take into consideration the positive effects Snowden’s actions had.
Earlier this month, Snowden said he would return to the U.S. if he could be assured of having a fair trial.
