BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- US lawmakers have been speaking out against a formal plea for clemency, made on Friday by intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Appearing on CBS’s "Face the Nation", Republican Mike Rogers said clemency was a terrible idea. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, took a similar stand.

"I think that is a terrible idea. If he wants to come back and own up to the responsibility of the fact that he took and stole information, he violated his oath, he disclosed classified information that by the way has allowed three different terrorist organisations, affiliates of , to change the way they communicate, I’d be happy to have that discussion with him," said Mike Rogers, chairman of House Intelligence Committee.

" He had an opportunity, if what he was was a whistle blower, to pick up the phone and call the House Intelligence Committee, the Senate Intelligence Committee, and say, ’Look, I have some information you ought to see.’ And we would certainly see him. Maybe both together, maybe separately, but we would have seen him. And we would have looked at that information. That didn’t happen. And now he’s done this enormous disservice to our country. And I think the answer is no clemency," said Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of Senate Intelligence Committee.

Meanwhile, adviser Dan Pfeiffer says Snowden’s request is not being discussed. He told ABC television that Snowden should return to the US and face charges over the leaking of classified information.

(Source: CNTV.cn)