3/29/2023 0 Comments Whats espionage![]() And thanks to tech (read: texts and emails), it’s been easier to trace potential leakers. The Obama admin used the Espionage Act more than any other admin. Bringing us to… Why the Espionage Act has come under scrutiny Meanwhile, press freedom advocates have raised concerns that the gov has been using a broad and vague interpretation of “national security” in other cases. And that’s why Trump’s raid is drawing eyes. And that’s why the law doesn’t mention “classified.” One way the legal system considers whether something is related to national defense or security is if it’s classified, according to Kitrosser. This system was created after the Espionage Act was signed into law. And could cause “exceptionally grave” damage if it got out. Top secret: Spoiler: The highest level of classification. Secret: Aka info that could cause “serious damage” to national security. Aka info that could damage national security if it becomes public. The FBI actually recovered docs from Mar-a-Lago that fall into each of the following categories:Ĭonfidential: The lowest level of classification. And each one requires getting clearance to handle this info. National security 101 says that there are three broad ways to classify or ID gov documents. It actually doesn't say anything about classified information.” What does ‘classified’ mean? Violating this could mean life in prison or the death penalty.Īnother important note from Kitrosser: “The language that the act uses is information relating to the national defense. It’s focused on someone gathering or delivering defense info to help a foreign gov. Section 794: This is not what the FBI is investigating, according to the warrant. If convicted, the punishment ranges from a fine or up to 10 years in prison, or both. ![]() (But reminder: He hasn’t been charged.) It relates to gathering, losing or sharing info linked to national defense. Section 793: This is what Trump may have violated. Heidi Kitrosser, a professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, said “the act has several components.” And it’s important to separate the two sections of the Espionage Act that are getting the most play right now: And Chelsea Manning, who gave WikiLeaks hundreds of thousands of classified and sensitive military docs.īefore your mind gets away with theories about Trump, you should know he isn’t being accused of or investigated for spying. The law has also been used to charge leakers like Edward Snowden, who leaked top-secret docs about the gov’s surveillance on Americans. ![]() And Robert Hanssen, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 for handing over US secrets to Russia. Including Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed after they were convicted of conspiring to share nuclear secrets with the Soviets. And reportedly led to the arrest of hundreds of people who spoke out against it.īut over the years, the law’s been used to prosecute people for spying. The initial goal was to quash dissent of the US’s participation in the war. Making it illegal for anyone to obtain or release national defense info that could be used to harm the US or benefit its enemies. In 1917, Congress passed the act two months after America entered World War I. When you think of espionage, you might think of spies. The news has many people asking: What exactly is the Espionage Act? A topic that’s sparked conversations among lawmakers about whether the law should be repealed. The warrant revealed that the FBI is investigating whether Trump violated three federal laws, including the Espionage Act. And walked away with 11 sets of classified documents - many marked "confidential" and "top secret." Days after the raid, a judge unsealed the search warrant that started it all. 8, the FBI raided former President Trump’s Florida home - an unprecedented move that ignited a media firestorm.
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