US Uses Espionage Act To Convict Manning Using Words Added In 1990: "with a computer"

[kpete]

DEVASTATING

Bradley Manning Espionage Act Conviction a Blow to Both Whistleblowers and Journalists
July 30, 2013
By Trevor Timm Follow @TrevorTimm

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 enemy,” was thankfully rejected by the military judge, this decision is a terrible blow to both investigative journalists and the sources they rely on to inform the public.

Manning is now the most high profile conviction under President Obama’s crackdown on leakers. As has been well documented, his administration has prosecuted more leakers under the Espionage Act that all other administration’s combined, and has cast a distinct chill over investigative journalism.

The Espionage Act, a draconian statute written in 1917 as a way to punish non-violent opponents of World War I, has unfortunately been used in recent years to equate leakers and whistleblowers with spies and traitors. Facilitating that warped view in Manning's trial, the judge ruled early on that the defense was not allowed to put forth evidence of Manning’s sole intent to inform the American public, or evidence showing that none of the information materially harmed national security.

Today's ruling also opens up a new avenue for charging leakers and whistleblowers—section (a)(1) of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which until now, has never led to a conviction. It’s was crafted in the 1990s by using some of the worst parts of the Espionage Act and adding the phrase [font color=red]“with a computer.”[/font]

more:
https://pressfreedomfoundation.org/blog/2013/07/bradley-manning-espionage-act-conviction-blow-both-whistleblowers-and-journalists

Video of the Day: Journalist Jeremy Scahill appeared on “Democracy Now!” on Tuesday, where he responded to the Bradley Manning trial verdict by excoriating the “corporate news media” for its “shameful” coverage of the case. “When you look at how CNN and MSNBC and Fox News covered the Jodi Arias trial—where all of cable news was turned into one big ‘Nancy Grace Christmas’—and then you look at the utter lack of coverage,” Scahill said. He continued: “There has been more coverage of the indictment of that ‘Real Housewives’ lady and her husband than there has been of Bradley Manning.” A military judge found Manning not guilty Tuesday of the most serious charge of aiding the enemy, but guilty of numerous others. He faces more than 100 years in prison.

pretty amazing
I know some of you have already heard this - if you have not, take a listen:
VIDEO & MORE:
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/obamas_new_grand_bargain_scahills_reaction_to_manning_verdict_and_more_2013/



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Jeremy Scahill, reporter for The Nation and author of the book “Dirty Wars,” joined Democracy Now host Amy Goodman on Tuesday where he reacted to the verdict of a military court which found Pfc. Bradley Manning guilty of a number of charges relating to the release of classified national security documents. Scahill lambasted the news media for largely ignoring what he called one of the most important cases in national history. He argued that the “corporate news media” is generally supportive of U.S. military operations and has avoided covering this case in order to protect the government.

“The corporate media coverage of this trial, which is arguably one of the most important cases in modern American history, has been utterly shameful,” Scahill began.

“When you look at how CNN, and MSNBC, and Fox News covered the Jodi Arias trial – where all of cable news was turned into one big Nancy Grace Christmas – and then you look at the utter lack of coverage,” Scahill continued. He said that independent journalists who covered the Manning case from arrest to conviction had put the rest of the news media to shame.

“There has been more coverage of the indictment of that Real Housewives lady and her husband than there has been of Bradley Manning,” Scahill observed. “This is the state of media in this country right now, and it is just devastating that we don’t have a media culture that says this should have been gavel-to-gavel coverage.”

http://www.mediaite.com/online/jeremy-scahill-shameful-media-that-turned-jodi-arias-into-nancy-grace-christmas-ignored-bradley-manning/

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[Cali_Democrat]

1. One of the Real Housewives is being indicted? HOLY %$#%#%!!111!!

I had no idea

[KinMd]

2. What percent of Americans know who Bradley Manning is?.