Thread by @ggreenwald

Julian Assange and the group he founded, @WikiLeaks, have broken most stories of historic importance than most of the US & UK journalists who hate him *combined.*

Do these journalists despise Assange despite this fact, or because of it?

salon.com/2010/12/24/wik…

For all the talk about how Trump is a mortal enemy of press freedom, it was Dianne Feinstein who led the way in demanding Assange's prosecution under *espionage* laws for revealing war crimes. Joe Biden echoed that, calling him a "high-tech terrorist":

wsj.com/articles/SB100…

Note that these attacks on Assange had nothing to do with the true, authentic documents released by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. The Biden/Feinstein demands for Assange's head came in 2010 following to WikiLeaks' release of docs showing war crimes:

theguardian.com/media/2010/dec…

Despite that, it was fairly accepted in liberal circles (and media ones) that prosecuting Assange would be a grave threat to press freedom.

Now Trump DOJ is doing it, and liberals are silent-to-supportive because Assange hurt Hillary & liberals want him imprisoned for *that*.

In May, 2019, I wrote an op-ed in the WashPost detailing why the US's indictment of Assange was so dangerous to journalists globally. Seven months later, the Bolsonaro Govt used this template to try to imprison me. This is the threat to press freedoms:

washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/0…

For those who love to herald the US as a shining bastion of civic freedom, it's worth pondering why two of the people responsible for some of the most vital revelations about the US Govt in years - Assange and @Snowden - are being persecuted and pursued with prison by the US Govt

Very proud of @trevortimm, Executive Director of @FreedomofPress which we founded with Dan Ellsberg and others to defend global press freedoms. He testified at Assange’s extradition hearing today & obliterated every authoritarian argument from the state. Read here:

https://twitter.com/kgosztola/status/1303684045558091777

One of the most dangerous and authoritarian arguments you’ll hear from those who support Trump DOJ’s attempt to imprison Assange is that it doesn’t endanger press freedoms because “Assange is not a journalist.” Leave side the huge stories he’s broken & journalism prizes he won...

It’s vital to realize the Constitution’s “Freedom of the Press” guarantee isn’t available only to a privileged, licensed priesthood called “journalists.” It’s available to *all people* as a tool to hold the state accountable. It’s refers not to a special group but to an activity.

As I explained in my WashPost op-ed (above): it’s a dangerous propaganda trope that only people accepted (by whom?) as “journalists” are entitled to press freedoms. All people have that right.

If the US Govt wins vs. Assange, it will be the worst blow to press freedom in years.

I spoke this morning to @krystalball and @esaagar about why so much is at stake in the attempt to extradite and prosecute Assange, and why this is a direct threat to journalists everywhere:

Finally (for now): I’m scheduled to appear tonight on a cable program to discuss the dangers of the Assange case for press freedoms as well as the urgency & broad support for a pardon for @Snowden: one of the few places on TV where doing that is possible. Tune in! Details shortly

Here’s Noam Chomsky, writing today in The @Independent with Alice Walker, on why the US’s attempted extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange is a dangerous travesty:

independent.co.uk/voices/julian-…

The cable program I was scheduled to appear on this evening to talk about the above issues regarding the Assange prosecution (and @Snowden) had to re-schedule due to the news events of the day. Will post the details for when I’ll be on talking about this.