For Whistleblowers, Journalism and Democracy
Obama says he ‘can’t’ pardon Snowden. But one of his attorneys hasn’t given up hope.
By Steven Nelson
President Barack Obama told German journalists last week that he can’t pardon Edward Snowden unless he physically submits to U.S. authorities. Those familiar with American law know there’s no such restriction and interpret “can’t” as meaning “won’t.”
Dear President Obama:
On your first day in office, you embraced the goals of ensuring the public’s trust and strengthening our democracy in a memorandum on transparency and open government. As your administration winds down and our democracy faces strong headwinds, we urge you to take the following important steps to empower citizens, Congress, and the courts to protect our system of separated powers and make sure that our government continues working as the founders intended.
Murtaza Hussain
November 20 2016
Launched by the Institute for Public Accuracy in June 2014, ExposeFacts.org represents a new approach for encouraging whistleblowers to disclose information that citizens need in order to make truly informed decisions in a democracy. From the outset, our message is clear: “Whistleblowers Welcome at ExposeFacts.org.”
ExposeFacts aims to shed light on concealed activities that are relevant to human rights, corporate malfeasance, the environment, civil liberties and war. At a time when key provisions of the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendments are under assault, we are standing up for a free press, privacy, transparency and due process as we seek to reveal official information—whether governmental or corporate—that the public has a right to know. More information
Yes We Can
By Jeffery Sterling
At FCI Englewood, a federal prison, as I wait for my appeal to be heard, I am looking back on the presidency of Barack Obama. A supporter recently sent me a subscription to New York Magazine and the first issue I received, ironically, features the eight years of the Obama presidency, under the title “Hope and What Came After.” I was immediately struck by the title used to name the series of pieces about and from Obama on his tenure, because the same title could be used for my experience during the Obama years. Obama’s election, for many reasons, meant and embodied hope for me; what came afterward was anything but. As his presidency draws to an end, I can only hope that the change will once again have an impact on my life, maybe this time for the better.