Obama used the Espionage Act to put a record number of reporters' sources in jail, and Trump could be even worse
AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, file
As president, Barack Obama harshly punished whistleblowers and took several steps that damaged press freedom.
Former President Barack Obama’s press freedom record is marred by his administration’s relentless prosecutions of whistleblowers, aggressive lobbying to kill FOIA reform, and promotion of government secrecy.
The Obama administration put a record number of reporters’ sources in jail using the Espionage Act. It attempted to force journalist James Risen to testify against his sources, leading to a deeply damaging court decision on the reporter’s privilege. When weighed against other actions, such as the commutation of whistleblower Chelsea Manning’s sentence, Obama’s press freedom record is mixed at best.
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Obama Administration Official Whitewashes Truth About FOIA
Last week, as she does every year around Sunshine Week, Melanie Pustay went to The Hill and testified before a congressional committee about how great government agencies haven been doing responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and providing requesters with responsive records. Pustay, the head of the Department …
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Bradley Manning Espionage Act Conviction a Blow to Both Whistleblowers and Journalists
In the most important trial affecting whistleblower rights in years, Bradley Manning—the admitted source to the WikiLeaks disclosures—has been convicted on nineteen counts, including multiple Espionage Act and Computer Fraud and Abuse Act charges. He faces over 100 years in jail. While the most pernicious charge, “aiding the …
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New Report Says Obama Faces Numerous Legal Hurdles Over Guantanamo Closure
A new report issued by the nonpartisan research arm of Congress says President Obama will face significant legal challenges in attempting to shutter the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, where more than 100 prisoners have been waging a hunger strike since February. The 59-page report, dated May 30, was issued by …
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Why is Eric Holder In Charge of Oversight on Eric Holder's Surveillance of Journalists Policy?
President Obama delivered a much-anticipated speech yesterday on national security policy, where he unexpectedly touched on the recent AP and Fox News press freedom scandals. While he condemned leaks, he emphasized that “Journalists should not be at legal risk for doing their jobs,” and that he’s “troubled by the possibility …
