Lon Snowden, Father Of Fugitive Spy Agency Leaker Edward, Will Travel Soon To Visit His Son In Russia

Edward Snowden, the fugitive former security agency leaker on temporary asylum in Russia, is about to get a visit from a father who appears to be sympathetic to his son’s predicament.

Lon Snowden was granted a visa to travel to Moscow and will travel there soon, according to his attorney, Bruce Fein. The two men appeared on “Meet The Press” Sunday morning telling viewers they doubted Edward Snowden would be able to receive a fair trial

The two men wouldn’t say when Lon would travel to Russia or from where he would depart, citing concerns about the media frenzy surrounding Snowden’s journey from low-level computer geek working for U.S. security contractor Booz Allen Hamilton to a high-profile leaker of evidence suggesting a massive violation of the Fourth Amendment right by the National Security Agency.

The elder Snowden called President Barack Obama’s pledges made on Friday to improve oversight of intelligence-gathering operations “superficial.” He said comments made by the president and lawmakers in Congress against his son have “poisoned the well” of a fair trial because a jury would automatically be biased against him.

House Speaker John Boehner and former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney are among current and former public officials that have publicly denounced 30-year-old Snowden as a traitor; treason convictions are rare, but they do potentially carry heavy sentences. Snowden would probably face charges of espionage.

"We intend to visit with Edward and suggest criminal defense attorneys who have got experience in Espionage Act prosecutions," Fein said on "Meet The Press."