Edward Snowden: Joe Biden told countries there’d be …

Russia has extended Edward Snowden's asylum to remain in Russia until 2020.He sought and received asylum in Russia in June 2013 after leaking volumes of information on American intelligence and surveillance operations to the media. USA TODAY

Edward Snowden, who in 2013 leaked information on how the NSA conducted surveillance on the public, said in an interview Mondaythat former-Vice President Joe Biden warned foreign countries that there would be "consequences" if they granted him asylum.

During a segment on "The 11th Hour with BrianWilliams" on MSNBC, Snowden said both Biden and then-Secretaryof State John Kerry blocked him from getting asylum.

Edward Snowden speaks from Russia to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, in 2015.(Photo: Frederick Florin, AFP/Getty Images)

Biden's campaign team didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The former vice president did ask Ecuador to turn down an asylum request from Snowden in 2013, the Associated Press reported.Rafael Correa, the former president of Ecuador,said he had a "friendly and very cordial" conversation withBiden about the matter.

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White House officials said in 2013 that they had warned foreign governments that Snowden was facing felony charges and urged them not to aid his international flight.

Snowden, who is currently in Russia, said he has applied for asylum in 27 different countries, including France, Germany and Norway, but without luck.

"Every time one of these governments got close to opening their doors, the phone would ring in their foreign ministries," Snowden said in the interview with Williams. "And on the other end of the line would be a very senior American official. It was one of two people: then-Secretary of State John Kerry or then-Vice President Joe Biden."

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"They would say: 'Look, we don't care what the law is. We don't care if you can do this or not. We understand that protecting whistleblowers and granting asylum is a matter of human rights, and you could do this if you want to. But if you protect this man, if you let this guy out of Russia, there will be consequences.'"

When MSNBC's Williams asked if Snowden would vote for Biden in 2020, the former NSA contractor laughed but said he isn't taking a position on the upcoming presidential election.

In this Feb. 14, 2015, file photo, Edward Snowden appears on a live video feed broadcast from Moscow at an event sponsored by ACLU Hawaii in Honolulu.(Photo: Marco Garcia, AP File Photo)

"Look, it's a difficult position being in the executive branch," he said. "It's a difficult position being in power, and you have to make unpopular decisions. I would like to think, having seen now in 2019 that all the allegations against me did not come true, national security was not harmed as a result of these disclosures ... I'd like to think these people would reevaluate their position."

There are more details about Snowden's life and quest for asylum in his newautobiography "Permanent Record," which on Tuesday was releasedin more than 20 countries including the U.S. and Britain.

The book details his dash out of the country six years ago after Snowden hailed as a hero, trashed as traitor leaked information from the NSA. He thought his stop in Russia was a layover on a flight from Hong Kong to Latin America, but his passport was canceled and he has lived in Putin-approvedexile ever since.

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Edward Snowden(Photo: The Guardian, AFP/Getty Images)

He claims he rejected overtures from Russian agents to aid their cause. And he claims he was a whistleblower, while the Justice Department of President Barack Obama charged him with espionage. Snowden is conducting a de facto book tour this week, via satellite from Moscow. He says he does not regret his actions and that he wants to return to the U.S.

"I'm not asking for a parade. I'm not asking for a pardon," he toldCBS News. "I'm not asking for a pass. What I'm asking for is a fair trial. And this is the bottom line that any American should require."

USA Today's John Bacon contributed reporting. Jessica Bies finds the news of the moment and brings it to you with local context and perspective. What have you heard people talking about? Call (302) 324-2881 oremailjbies@delawareonline.com with story ideas.

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