John --

I am writing today to tell you of an alarming development in Brazil. Earlier today, American journalist Glen Greenwald, co-founder of The Intercept, has been charged with “cybercrimes” by Brazil’s authoritarian leader and close Trump ally, Jair Bolsonaro.

Violence and political persecution of journalists have been on the rise since Trump took office, and Brazil is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. (Spoiler alert: The United States is on that list, too.)

But the seeds for these threats were planted long before today. The United States set the precedent for charges like this when the Obama administration persistently targeted whistleblowers under the Espionage Act. Outrageously, in 2013, they even named a journalist as an “unindicted co-conspirator” alongside their source!

Freedom of the press is a bedrock principle of our republic, and America should represent the global standard for a free and empowered press. Instead, Congress has stood by and allowed journalists to be attacked by American presidents grossly exceeding their Constitutional authority.

We need leaders in Congress who will stand up for journalists like Glenn and hold presidents accountable when they suppress our speech.
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Let us be clear: Glenn is being threatened for doing his job. The absurd charges stem from materials The Intercept received from a whistleblower exposing corruption in the Brazilian government. For the last year, Glenn and his husband have been favorite targets of Bolsonaro and his sympathizers. They have threatened to take their adopted children and threatened them with deportation from their home in Rio de Janeiro. Glenn has been physically assaulted and threatened with prison.

It is doubtful the current administration will condemn these charges given Trump’s cozy relationship with Bolsonaro and his record of attacking journalists as “enemies of the people.” In the absence of moral leadership from the White House, the rest of us must fill that void.

Brand New Congress stands in solidarity with Glenn and his colleagues from The Intercept. We call on all Americans who believe in freedom of expression to defend journalists against political persecution and threats of violence.

It is critical we elect a Brand New Congress that will uphold the rights of all journalists and protect them from persecution.

Freedom of the press is under assault across the globe. Together, we will elect principled leaders who will empower the press and embrace transparency, protecting the critical work of journalists like Glenn Greenwald and all his peers at The Intercept.

In solidarity,

Cory Archibald
Chair of the Board of Directors
Brand New Congress

P.S. Since its founding in 2014, The Intercept has been an important addition to the field of journalism. Their investigative work has empowered the public and given critical exposure to stories that other outlets won’t cover -- including the work of Brand New Congress and many of our candidates.

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If you would like to support their important work and help defend Glenn against these baseless claims, you can become a member or make a one-time contribution on their website.

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