It says the WikiLeaks founder damaged national security by publishing documents that harmed the U.S. and its allies and aided its adversaries. Those same concerns led the Obama administration Justice Department to balk at bringing charges for similar conduct. But Justice Department officials sought to make clear that they did not view Assange's actions as protected by the First Amendment. They noted, for example, that he promoted his site to a convention of European hackers and published a list of the classified information he sought as The Most Wanted Leaks of 2009. Manning, who was convicted in military court for providing a trove of classified documents to WikiLeaks, is currently in a northern Virginia jail on a civil contempt charge.

Source: CBC News May 23, 2019 20:57 UTC