Lawmakers Urge White House to Reject Proposal to Pardon Snowden

Lawmakers are asking President Barack Obama to reject a request to pardon Edward Snowden before he leaves office.

In a bipartisan letter from the House Intelligence Committee, they say the former National Security Agency contractor carried out "the largest and most damaging" leak of classified information in U.S. history.

In 2013, Snowden gave journalists a number of sensitive files that he says he stole because of his concern over the government's surveillance programs, that he says were operating in violation of the Constitution. 

Lawmakers argue that Snowden's words are "undercut by his actions" and that rather than leaking material he should have reported his concerns to the House Intelligence Committee or inspector general.

On Wednesday, several civil rights groups launched a campaign urging Obama to pardon Snowden. The whistleblower says he didn't ask for the presidential pardon personally, but he's grateful to the organizations that are asking on his behalf.

"I don't know where we're going from here, I don't know what tomorrow looks like, but I'm glad for the decisions I've made and I'm thankful to all of you who are supporting me and believe in the same," Snowden said via video link from Moscow where he's living under a grant of political asylum.

Snowden's attorney criticized the letter from lawmakers, calling his client a "genuine American hero."

Obama's spokesman says Snowden should return to the U.S. and face the charges against him.