Leaks & Whistleblowers
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Deep Dive
The Espionage Act Has Been Abused — But Not in Trump’s Case
Reforms to the law are long overdue, but they have nothing to do with the Mar-a-Lago search
By Jameel Jaffer -
Press Statement
Knight Institute Comments on Espionage Act Reform Legislation
Says measure would protect press freedom but also calls on Congress to expand protections for whistleblowers
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Essays and Scholarship
How the Biden Administration and Congress Can Fix Prepublication Review: A Roadmap for Reform
Prepublication review is a sweeping and broken system in need of repair
By Jameel Jaffer , Alex Abdo , Meenakshi Krishnan & Ramya Krishnan -
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Essays and Scholarship
What We Owe Whistleblowers
Jameel Jaffer argues that their disclosures since 9/11 have been vital, and that we should protect them better than we do
By Jameel Jaffer -
Deep Dive
In the “War on Terror,” What Did Rights Organizations Get Wrong?
Jameel Jaffer reflects on what the human rights community might have done differently in the aftermath of 9/11
By Jameel Jaffer -
Deep Dive
The Law of the Reporter’s Privilege is a Mess. A Federal Shield Law Could Help Fix It.
Journalists need to know when they can expect to receive protection under federal law and when they can’t
By Mayze Teitler & Samuel Aber -
Deep Dive
The Justice Department’s New Media Protections Are (Mostly) a Promise, Not Yet a Reality
What’s most important is not what the Attorney General has already done, but what the Justice Department and Congress do next
By Anna Diakun & Jameel Jaffer -
Press Statement
Knight Institute Comments on DOJ’s New Guidelines Limiting the Seizure of Journalists’ Records
Calls on Congress to codify new protections quickly
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Quick Take
The Pentagon Papers 50 Years Later
Safeguarding press freedom today requires extending protections to whistleblowers and limiting the use of the Espionage Act
By Lorraine Kenny -
Press Statement
Knight Institute Comments on DOJ’s Effort to Obtain CNN Reporter’s Records
Says this is a particularly disturbing case raising serious press freedom concerns
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Deep Dive
For the Biden Administration, Who Counts as News Media?
Newly obtained document raises concerns that some newsgatherers will be denied First Amendment protection
By Anna Diakun & Trevor Timm -
Analysis
The Biden Administration Should Drop the Assange Case
The case against Assange poses a major threat to press freedom
By Jameel Jaffer -
Analysis
It's Assange in the Dock, But It's National Security Journalism on Trial
Jameel Jaffer highlights press freedom concerns in his testimony in Assange extradition proceeding
By Jameel Jaffer -
Interactive
Press-Related Espionage Act Prosecutions
Documenting trends in press-related Espionage Act prosecutions
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Analysis
The Espionage Act Reform Bill Addresses Key Press Concerns
Provides crucial safeguards for reporters
By Carrie DeCell & Meenakshi Krishnan -
Press Statement
Knight Institute Comment on Espionage Act Reform Legislation
Says Bill Would Protect Journalists
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Analysis
John Bolton's Silence — Here’s How He Could Lawfully Break It
How Bolton could publicly share his story
By Jameel Jaffer & Ramya Krishnan -
Analysis
We May Never See John Bolton's Book
A New York Times op-ed by Jameel Jaffer and Ramya Krishnan on the dangers of prepublication review
By Jameel Jaffer & Ramya Krishnan -
Analysis
Explainer: Prepublication Review and How it Applies to Bolton
Government censorship system could block Bolton's memoir
By Alex Abdo & Meenakshi Krishnan -
Analysis
The Espionage Act and a Growing Threat to Press Freedom
The government’s now-routine use of the Espionage Act against journalists’ sources raises First Amendment concerns.
By Jameel Jaffer -
Podcast
Podcast: Prosecuting Julian Assange for Espionage is a Coup Attempt against the First Amendment
On Intercepted, Knight Institute's Jameel Jaffer discusses the indictment of Julian Assange under the Espionage Act and explains why the case represents a grave threat to press freedom.
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Press Statement
Knight Institute Comment on Indictment of Julian Assange
Warns indictment "sweeps in activities that are not just lawful but essential to press freedom"
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Analysis
Assange Indictment Is Shot Across the Bow of Press Freedom
The indictment characterizes as “part of” a criminal conspiracy journalistic activities that are not just lawful but essential to press freedom
By Jameel Jaffer & Ben Wizner -
Analysis
Groups Urge Court to Uphold Core Press Protection in DNC Lawsuit Against Russia, Wikileaks
Amicus brief from Knight Institute, Reporters Committee, and ACLU stresses safeguards for publishing information of public concern
By Carrie DeCell , Brett Max Kaufman & Gabe Rottman -
Press Statement
Knight Institute Warns Reality Winner's Harsh Sentence Will Chill Whistleblowers from Disclosing Information Public Needs to Know
63-month prison sentence for disclosing NSA report on Russian election interference proof that system is "deeply broken"
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Analysis
More Questions Than Answers from DOJ Letter About Journalist Surveillance
New DOJ disclosure on surveillance of the press provides little assurance on journalists' ability to protect confidential sources
By Ramya Krishnan -
Press Statement
DOJ’s Seizure of Reporter’s Records Raises Questions About Status of DOJ Media Guidelines
Seizure of New York Times reporter's phone and email records appears to violate the DOJ's own limits on surveillance of the media
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Forum
The De Facto Reporter's Privilege Imperiled
Recent Justice Department moves threaten longstanding, but often informal, protections for journalists and confidential sources
By Christina Koningisor -
Press Statement
Espionage Act Charges Against Former FBI Agent Who Leaked Documents on Surveillance Raise Concerns
Knight Institute calls Act a "blunt instrument" that doesn't distinguish between whistleblowers and threats to national security
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Press Statement
Lawsuit Seeks Government Guidelines on Surveillance of Journalists
Knight Institute, Freedom of the Press Foundation file lawsuit amid surge in leak investigations