Chip Gibbons Discusses Trump Indictment on Democracy Now!

How do we thread the needle between opposing the use of the Espionage Act against whistleblowers and truthtellers, while also fighting to hold figures in power accountable? DRAD Policy Director Chip Gibbons insightfully untangles the need for accountability without legitimizing the Espionage Act. Chip dives into the nonsensical narrative Trump is promoting in his defense, and the bizarre irony of using the Espionage Act law against Trump. His deep knowledge, erudition, and political analysis of one of the top stories of the day is illuminating.

“The Trump Administration loved the Espionage Act,” Chip explained. “They didn’t use it against traitors and spies, they used it against whistleblowers, journalists, and people accused of giving information to the media.”

Chip contrasts the heroism of whistleblowers, journalists, and journalists’ sources prosecuted by Trump (including Reality Winner, Terry Albury, Daniel Hale, and Julian Assange) with the “hubris and – quite frankly – foolishness” of Trump.

Chip’s pointed analysis of the use of the Espionage Act, government secrecy, and Trump sheds much-needed light on some of the misunderstood aspects of this unprecedented historical moment.