Tim Burke

Photo courtesy of Tim Burke

Tim Burke is being prosecuted for journalism. That’s wrong and endangers the free press.

Journalist Tim Burke faces a disturbing federal prosecution in a case with significant implications for press freedom.

Prosecutors’ expansive interpretation of federal law in Burke’s case, including the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, could make routine digital journalism a crime and put journalists at risk of prosecution. The government’s raid of Burke’s newsroom and attempt to permanently seize his equipment and newsgathering materials could stop reporting and reveal confidential sources. The Burke prosecution sends a chilling message to other journalists and sources and must be dropped or dismissed.

Tell your lawmakers to speak up against Burke prosecution

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Edit this message so that it is unique to you: Dear Member of Congress, Tucker Carlson’s platforming and whitewashing of antisemite Nick Fuentes has rightly drawn BIPARTISAN CONDEMNATION. It’s not the first time Carlson has done public relations for antisemites. Yet despite the outrage across the political spectrum over Carlson’s Fuentes interview, two consecutive administrations have prosecuted Tim Burke, the journalist who exposed Carlson’s problematic practices. In 2022, Carlson aired an interview with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, during which the superstar musician — whose antisemitism at the time wasn’t as well known as it is now — went on an antisemitic rant. Carlson did Ye a favor by editing his hate-fueled ramblings out of the interview. Burke found the outtakes on a nonencrypted, publicly available website and shared them with the public so that Americans could know the truth about both Ye and Carlson. For that, he was indicted by the Biden Department of Justice under federal computer fraud and wiretapping laws. The most serious charges were recently dismissed, but the Trump DOJ is appealing. It should instead take the opportunity to drop the misguided prosecution against Burke altogether. Clearly, there is an immense public interest in Carlson’s habit of hobnobbing with Jew haters. Plus, as a Trump-appointed judge explained in dismissing part of the case, the government’s legal theory is so broad it could criminalize all kinds of routine digital journalism — including merely listening to a publicly broadcast livestream. As your constituent, I URGE YOU to tell the Trump administration to drop the case against Burke and not test the outer contours of internet law to punish journalists who expose antisemitism. URLs are not allowed in this message.

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Join me in urging lawmakers to speak out against the prosecution of journalist Tim Burke for exposing Tucker Carlson’s whitewashing of antisemitism.