On July 27, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) reintroduced the Espionage Act Reform Act, which would increase protections for journalists and expand options for whistleblowers to make disclosures.
The Act “mirrors the original legislation introduced in 2020, but with bipartisan support,” according to the press release. Among other things, the Act “[p]rotects journalists who solicit, obtain, or publish government secrets from prosecution” and “[e]nsures that each member of Congress is equally able to receive classified information, including from whistleblowers.”
The press release explains that the Espionage Act as it stands today “criminalized the disclosure to Congress of classified information related to intercepted communications, unless it is in response to a ‘lawful demand’ from a committee. This puts members in the minority party and those not chairing any committee at a significant disadvantage.”
“Journalists should never be prosecuted by the government for what they publish. Especially when politicians abuse the law to keep the public in the dark about misconduct or abuse,” Wyden said in the press release. “The Espionage Act currently provides the executive branch with sweeping powers that are ripe for abuse to target journalists and whistleblowers who reveal information some officials would rather keep secret. This bill ensures only personnel with security clearances can be prosecuted for improperly revealing...
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