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John,
The United States of America has always prided itself on being a champion of free speech and open dialogue, allowing for the voices of dissent to be heard and for critical opinions to be expressed without fear of retribution.
Yet, in recent years, the Department of Justice has increasingly used the Espionage Act to muzzle whistleblowers and journalists who seek to uncover the truth.
Despite the protections afforded to whistleblowers under the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012, the DOJ has found a loophole to prosecute them under the Espionage Act, a wartime law from 1917 originally used to prevent espionage and sedition.
Both the Obama and Trump administrations have used it to prosecute individuals who leak classified information to the press or who report on government activities that are deemed sensitive or confidential. This has had a chilling effect on journalism and the freedom of the press, as journalists and whistleblowers fear prosecution for doing the right thing.
We need to send a message to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department that this is not the America we want to live in. We want an America where whistleblowers and journalists are protected, where the truth can be exposed without fear of retribution.
Tell Merrick Garland and the Justice Department: Stop prosecuting whistleblowers with the Espionage Act now.
Whistleblowers and journalists who exposed corruption and wrongdoing play a vital role in ensuring that those in power are held accountable. They are the watchdogs that keep our democracy strong and vibrant.
Yet, instead of being celebrated and protected, whistleblowers and journalists are being prosecuted and vilified.
This is not just an issue of legal technicalities or bureaucratic policies. This is a matter of the very essence of democracy and the ability of citizens to hold their government accountable.
The Espionage Act has been used to target individuals like Chelsea Manning, Reality Winner, and Edward Snowden, who have exposed government misconduct and abuses of power.
This discourages journalists from reporting on sensitive or controversial topics for fear of being prosecuted and it is unacceptable.
The Department of Justice should be defending the principles of free speech and the freedom of the press, not using the Espionage Act to silence those who seek to uncover the truth.
Our nation must respect the principles of free speech and the freedom of the press. Tell Merrick Garland and the Justice Department: Stop prosecuting whistleblowers with the Espionage Act now.
Together we will keep the government from intimidating and silencing those who seek to uncover the truth.
- Amanda
Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund
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