Rights Groups to Congress: Protect Press Freedom, Pass the Daniel Ellsberg Act

Fourteen leading civil liberties, press freedom, and human rights groups, including Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Society of Professional Journalists, have joined Defending Rights & Dissent on a joint letter to members of Congress, urging the passage of the Daniel Ellsberg Press Freedom and Whistleblower Protection Act, set to be introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) next week.

The new legislation, co-authored by Defending Rights & Dissent and named in honor of the legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower, would reform the Espionage Act of 1917 to curtail its abuse against members of the press, whistleblowers, and other journalistic sources. As the letter explains,

The Ellsberg Act brings the Espionage Act in line with contemporary First Amendment jurisprudence and rectifies grotesque violations of due process that Espionage Act whistleblower defendants have been subjected to. Two sections of the Espionage Act, §793 and §798, have repeatedly been abused to threaten press freedom.

The new bill amends those sections to limit the Act’s use to either foreign agents or government employees with a duty to protect classified information, and it allows defendants to explain their intent to expose wrongdoing in court.

The letter, which was also signed by Reporters without Borders, Demand Progress, and the Project on Government Oversight, among others, comes just days before Rep. Tlaib is expected to introduce the Ellsberg Act in the House of Representatives. 

Rep. Tlaib, members of Ellsberg’s family, and representatives from the Freedom of the Press Foundation will join Defending Rights & Dissent on a live web event, announcing the Ellsberg Act and explaining how it could change the future of press freedom in the United States, on Thursday, March 12, at 3pm ET. 

Download the letter, or read it below: