WhiteHouse.gov petitions to pardon Snowden surpass required signatures for response

The online petition asking the United States government to pardon NSA leaker Edward Snowden has surpassed the 100,000 signatures required to receive a response from the White House.

The petition, which looks to have Snowden pardoned for leaking documents that exposed the U.S. government's far reaching surveillance programs, asks the Obama administration that the 30-year-old former National Security Agency contractor be forgiven for all his crimes.

"Edward Snowden is a national hero and should be immediately issued a a full, free, and absolute pardon for any crimes he has committed or may have committed related to blowing the whistle on secret NSA surveillance programs," the petition reads.

According to Whitehouse.gov petitions to the president must receive 100,000 signatures in 30 days to receive "an official response" from the Obama administration.

In spite of the petitioners' quick gathering of signatures, the White House might still refuse to respond to the petition to pardon Snowden as per stated in the guidelines of "We The People."

"To avoid the appearance of improper influence, the White House may decline to address certain procurement, law enforcement, adjudicatory, or similar matters properly within the jurisdiction of federal departments or agencies, federal courts, or state and local government in its response to a petition."