Julian Assange’s legal saga took a new turn when he pled guilty to violating the U.S. Espionage Act, but U.S. lawmakers James McGovern and Thomas Massie have raised alarms about the long-term impact on journalism. In a bipartisan letter to President Biden, they urge a pardon for Assange, citing the potential harm to press freedom and the future of investigative reporting.
By PC Bureau
Two U.S. Congressmen, James McGovern (D-MA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have urged President Joe Biden to grant a pardon to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, warning that his guilty plea sets a troubling legal precedent that could jeopardize journalists and whistleblowers.
In a bipartisan letter, reported in The Guardian, sent earlier this month, McGovern and Massie expressed concern that the Espionage Act’s application to Assange could be used to target journalists for simply doing their jobs, particularly in cases involving national security.
Assange, who was freed in June 2024 after pleading guilty to violating U.S. espionage laws, was allowed to return to his home country of Australia, concluding a protracted 14-year legal battle. The charges stemmed from the publication of leaked documents revealing details about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, as well as sensitive diplomatic cables in 2010 and 2011.
In their letter, McGovern and Massie acknowledged the end of Assange’s detention and his reunion with family, but expressed deep concern over the plea deal, which required Assange to plead guilty to felony charges. They noted the broader implications for journalism, referencing the Obama administration’s decision not to prosecute Assange due to the risk of the Espionage Act being used against media organizations. The pair echoed the views of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which warned that the U.S. pursuit of Assange could set a dangerous legal precedent for journalists receiving classified materials from whistleblowers.
McGovern and Massie, who have long advocated for the dismissal of charges against Assange, urged Biden to pardon him, stating that doing so would remove the harmful precedent set by the plea agreement. Assange’s family, including his brother Gabriel Shipton and wife Stella Assange, are actively campaigning for the pardon, with plans for Shipton to return to Washington in January. They also call on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to use his upcoming conversation with President Biden to advocate for Assange’s pardon.
A petition supporting the pardon campaign argues that granting a pardon would not only correct an injustice but also reaffirm the importance of press freedom and democracy under Biden’s leadership.
