The Breakdown: Could Julian Assange be Prosecuted for Spying?

The Breakdown: Could Julian Assange be Prosecuted for Spying?

The Breakdown: Could Julian Assange be Prosecuted for Spying?

Can Julian Assange and the New York Times face criminal prosecution under the federal Espionage Act?

Chris Hayes
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Chris Hayes and American University Law Professor Steve Vladeck ask, can Julian Assange and the New York Times face criminal prosecution under the federal Espionage Act?

The Breakdown Can Julian Assange face criminal prosecution under the Espionage Act?  Used sparingly since its 1917 inception, the Espionage Act has prosecuted leakers a handful of times but rarely gone after foreign nationals or those who published leaked information. And if Assange is prosecuted, could the New York Times also face criminal charges for publishing the very same material?  DC Editor Chris Hayes tackles this topic with American University Law Professor Steve Vladeck—who also testified on this very topic before the House on Thursday—on this week’s edition of The Breakdown.

Related Links

Vladeck’s posts at PrawfsBlawg.
Vladeck’s prepared statement about the Espionage Act for the Hearing before the House Committee on the Judiciary.
“The Espionage Act’s Shameful and Forgotten History” at The Atlantic.

Subscribe to The Breakdown on iTunes to listen to fresh takes on the confusing concepts that make politics, economics and government tick. A new episode every week!

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Chris Hayes Chris Hayes is the Editor-at-Large of The Nation and host of “All In with Chris Hayes” on MSNBC.


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