{"id":36563,"date":"2019-05-24T10:19:16","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T17:19:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=36563"},"modified":"2019-05-24T10:19:16","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T17:19:16","slug":"punish-assange-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2019\/05\/24\/punish-assange-right\/","title":{"rendered":"Punish Assange Right"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the 2016 campaign, Julian Assange worked hand-in-glove with Russia to install Putin’s Pet Pervert, Donald Trump, in the White House.  The Republican Reich are showing their gratitude by trying to punish Assange.  The way they are doing it could not be more devious.  They are using the left’s justified anger against Assange to use him as a vehicle to destroy the Fourth Estate.<\/font><\/p>\n

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\"0524trump-wikileaks\" <\/p>\n

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was charged Thursday with violating the Espionage Act by seeking out classified information, an escalation of the Trump administration\u2019s pursuit of leakers that could have major First Amendment repercussions for news organizations. <\/p>\n

An 18-count federal indictment alleges that Assange worked with a former Army intelligence analyst to obtain and disseminate secret documents \u2014 actions similar to reporting work at many traditional news organizations. The U.S. government, though, sought to distinguish the anti-secrecy advocate from a reporter. <\/p>\n

\u201cJulian Assange is no journalist,\u201d said John Demers, the assistant attorney general for national security. He said Assange had engaged in \u201cexplicit solicitation of classified information.\u201d <\/p>\n

Press freedom advocates said the distinction being drawn by prosecutors offers little protection for journalists. Noted media lawyer Floyd Abrams said that Assange may be a \u201csingularly unattractive defendant in a lot of ways\u201d but added that the indictment \u201cdoes raise deeply threatening First Amendment issues for journalists who cover national defense, intelligence activities, and alike.\u201d<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said in a statement that the indictment was \u201ca dire threat to journalists.\u201d… [emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <Washington Post<\/a>><\/font><\/p>\n

Both Chris Hayes and Rachel Maddow covered this story.  Here’s Chris<\/a>:<\/font><\/p>\n