Opinions are mixed on whether charges should be filed against the man who leaked top-secret documents about the U.S. government’s anti-terrorism program, which included spying on millions of Americans. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says there should be no debate, as he says it’s clear, Edward Snowden committed a crime.
“If you help your enemy, I don’t think you’re doing America a favor,” Grassley says. “I believe that whatever the law requires, just like anybody that breaks the law, he needs to be prosecuted.” Snowden is a former contractor with the National Security Agency and he provided documentation to the media two weeks ago on how Uncle Sam has been closely monitoring our phone calls and Internet activity.
While former Vice President Cheney and others have called him a traitor, Snowden defends his actions saying Americans deserved to know about their own government spying on them, but Grassley remains unconvinced.
“I suppose it gets down to — did he break a law? — I think it’s pretty obvious he did,” Grassley says. “People in the Justice Department will make that determination and whatever that determination is, I’ll have to abide by it, but if he did break a law, it’s quite common sense that he be prosecuted.”
Snowden is reportedly in hiding in Hong Kong and has said he won’t voluntarily return to the U.S.