It takes enormous courage to come forward as a whistleblower alleging wrongdoing or corruption by the U.S. government. Often, these brave souls are fired, demoted, ostracized, or attacked in the media for revealing information in the public interest. At worst, whistleblowers can face serious criminal charges — and sometimes years in prison.
It isn’t supposed to be this way. Under the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012, the Department of Justice established a series of rights and resources designed to protect whistleblowers from retaliation, including a national hotline under the Office of Inspector General.
Despite the critical importance of whistleblowers, both the Obama and Trump administrations found a workaround and dramatically stepped up prosecutions using a different law: the Espionage Act, a wartime law from 1917.
Espionage Act prosecutions do not allow whistleblowers to explain their motives or make a public interest defense. Judges have even barred juries in these cases from hearing the words “overclassification,” “whistleblower,” and “First Amendment.”
Prosecuting those who shine a light on government abuses is harmful to the public interest and an affront to freedom of speech. It’s time for the Justice Department to protect whistleblowers, not lock them up.
Will you add your name to tell the Department of Justice to stop prosecuting whistleblowers now?
It’s the hallmark of fascist and authoritarian regimes to equate journalism, whistleblowing, and truth-telling with espionage. It is entirely unacceptable for a democratic society to do the same.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department can take an important step forward for democracy and freedom of the press by protecting whistleblowers instead of prosecuting them. That’s why we’re demanding action today.
