National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden is calling for President Obama to commute the sentence of Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning after a report claimed Manning is being considered for commutation.
Manning is currently serving 35 years in prison as a result of providing classified documents to WikiLeaks. While in prison, Manning began to transition genders and attempted suicide after being refused treatment. According to CNN, Manning will be receiving gender reassignment surgery while in prison.
A source within the U.S. Department of Justice allegedly told NBC News that Manning is one of the people Obama has on his “short list.”
In audio obtained by NBC, Manning apologized for leaking the documents during his court proceedings.
Manning is heard saying, “First your honor, I want to start off with an apology. I am sorry. I am sorry that my actions hurt people. I am sorry that they hurt the United States.”
After the NBC report, Snowden tweeted out his support for commuting Manning’s sentence, claiming that if Obama were to commute just one person, it should be Manning:
A recent viral movement and petition called for Obama to pardon Snowden.
Although Snowden’s statement was an expression of solidarity for a fellow whistleblower, he was immediately criticized because of Manning’s race.
Aura Bogado, who writes about “environmental racism” for various publications including The Nation, claimed Snowden’s remarks were allegedly “why people of color don’t trust you.”
Bogado explained through various tweets that Snowden was apparently forgetting people of color and used his platform to “center whiteness.”
Robyn Kanner, the cofounder of MyTransHealth, chimed in by stating Hillary Clinton apparently would’ve commuted Manning’s sentence “too” if Snowden didn’t “f***k that up.”
Clinton had once asked why the government couldn’t “drone this guy” in reference to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Assange has stated he would be willing to take Manning's place in prison.
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