You may have noticed “WikiLeaks” coming up in the news a few times lately. Recently, its founder, Julian Assange, saw the Swedish investigation into rape allegations levied against him suspended–although he does still face arrest if he leaves the Ecuadorian embassy in London. And Chelsea Manning, who leaked a massive number of documents to WikiLeaks, was just released from prison after her sentence was commuted by former President Barack Obama.

Wikileaks, which was launched in 2006 with the purpose of providing government and other relevant documents to citizens, has been all over the news since its inception. But what exactly is it, who is its founder, and why do you need to about it? Read on to learn more.

The Origins of WikiLeaks

Wikileaks officially launched in 2006 and the first document was posted in December of that year, but the domain name “WikiLeaks” was registered that October.

WikiLeaks calls itself a “not-for-profit media organization” that seeks to increase transparency worldwide. Despite the similarity in names, there’s no connection between WikiLeaks and Wikipedia. Instead, WikiLeaks is associated with an organization called “Sunshine Press,” which handles some of the private aspects of WikiLeaks’ business.

WikiLeaks states its mission as:

Our goal is to bring important news and information to the public. We provide an innovative, secure, and anonymous way for sources to leak information to our journalists (our electronic drop box). One of our most important activities is to publish original source material alongside our news stories so readers and historians alike can see evidence of the truth.

Australian Julian Assange is usually attributed as its main founder–although there are many other people, some anonymous, who worked on the project. Also associated with the project was investigative journalist Gavin MacFadyen, Assange’s mentor. He was the director of WikiLeaks. Before his death in 2016, MacFadyen founded the Julian Assange Legal Defense Committee. Sarah Harrison, a British journalist and researcher, has also been publicly identified as one of the organization’s associates. She’s best known for aiding Edward Snowden’s trip out of the U.S. after he leaked a trove of classified documents. Many of the other people associated with WikiLeaks are anonymous, but the organization claims that they include “accredited journalists, software programmers, network engineers, mathematicians, and others.”

How Does WikiLeaks Operate?

The organization is somewhat secretive in how it operates. But it is currently funded by donors and has no one permanent location or office. It has servers in multiple countries and claims it does so to protect the organization in case one country decides to crack down on its operations. In 2016, Assange told Der Spiegel that the organization had posted over 10 million documents in 10 years. According to WikiLeaks, it is sent documents anonymously through email or other anonymous electronic means, and then those documents are vetted and uploaded–although it is important to note that there has been significant criticism about the veracity of some of those documents. WikiLeaks has occasionally worked with media organizations, including Le Monde, El Pais, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and The New York Times, although its relationships with some of those organizations have fluctuated over the years.

WikiLeaks and Well Known Whistleblowers

Chelsea Manning

Chelsea Manning is one of the most widely-known names associated with WikiLeaks. Manning, a U.S. soldier then known as Pte First Class Bradley Manning, sent more than 720,000 secret documents to WikiLeaks in 2010. At the time, she was working as an intelligence analyst. One of the most notable things included in this leak was video footage of a U.S. helicopter firing on and killing Iraqi citizens and journalists in 2007. She also leaked State Department cables, information related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and data about the prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay.

Manning was convicted of 20 charges associated with this leak, and sentenced to 35 years in prison. President Barack Obama commuted most of Manning’s sentence before he left office. When she was released in May 2017, she had spent seven years in prison. Manning’s sentence was controversial; many claimed it was too harsh, including advocates for whistleblower protections, transparency, and some human rights groups like Amnesty International. Others claimed that the punishment fit the crime. President Donald Trump, for instance, has called Manning an “ungrateful TRAITOR.”

Manning’s punishment was complicated by the fact that she is a transwoman who was confined in a men’s prison. Manning’s difficulty transitioning while incarcerated was made public, and her struggles to obtain that care worried human rights advocates.

The video below discusses Chelsea Manning’s case in more detail:

Edward Snowden 

Perhaps the most recognizable whistleblower in the world is Edward Snowden. Snowden worked for the CIA and then for well-known government consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. In 2013, he leaked hundreds of thousands of documents that, among other things, revealed the NSA’s surveillance of American citizens as well as information about British surveillance programs.

Snowden did not release this information to WikiLeaks, instead, he gave the documents to media sources. According to Snowden, the only two who were given the full array of documents were Glenn Greenwald, who worked for The Guardian and Laura Poitras, who later made “Citizenfour,” the award-winning documentary about Snowden. However, in the aftermath of the leaks, Snowden was aided by WikiLeaks-associated individuals. After Snowden fled the United States, Sarah Harrison helped him get set up in Russia and avoid American detection. WikiLeaks also submitted asylum requests to multiple countries on Snowden’s behalf.

Since 2013, Snowden has been loosely associated with WikiLeaks at other times. At various points, Snowden has weighed in on the accuracy of documents leaked by the organization. For example, in March 2017, Snowden publicly said that he believed the documents related to CIA hacking techniques released by WikiLeaks were true.

But, Snowden has also been critical of WikiLeaks. In July 2016, Snowden criticized WikiLeaks for not curating the information it released, instead just indiscriminately posting documents related to the U.S. election. In response, WikiLeaks accused Snowden of trying to curry favor with the then-front-runner in the election, Hillary Clinton.

WikiLeaks Controversy and Criticisms

There are lots of criticisms consistently levied against WikiLeaks and the people associated with it. Here are some of the most prevalent:

Julian Assange’s Legal Troubles

Julian Assange has spent the last five years in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange was accused of sexual assault by two women in Stockholm, Sweden in 2010. Assange claims that the sexual encounters with the two women were both consensual and that they were only accusing him of assault because of political reasons. In 2012, Assange sought asylum from Ecuador and was granted the ability to stay in the country’s embassy in London. While Sweden recently announced that it was no longer seeking his arrest, he still isn’t likely to leave the embassy any time soon. U.K. officials have said they can arrest him on other charges, like jumping bail. And if he’s extradited to the United States, he could be subject to a variety of charges related to WikiLeaks. If he is ever extradited to the U.S. for charges related to release of documents stolen by Chelsea Manning, he could be in serious trouble.

Redactions Wanted

WikiLeaks’ “leak all for transparency’s sake” approach to releasing information has garnered it some criticism. In July 2016, WikiLeaks claimed to publish a number of documents related to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The so-called “Erdogan emails” didn’t really appear to contain any political bombshells, but did include links to databases containing the information of Turkish citizens. One database had the personal information of almost every woman in the country. The info included things like addresses, cell phone numbers, and political information. Essentially, WikiLeaks doxxed almost half the country. While the files were eventually taken down, WikiLeaks was criticized for going beyond transparency to potentially harming private individuals.

2016 Election Hacks

WikiLeaks has recently been criticized for its role leaking documents pertaining to the 2016 election. WikiLeaks leaked DNC emails that reflected negatively on Hillary Clinton’s presidency campaign. Charlie Savage of the New York Times argued that Assange specifically timed the release of the DNC emails to come out at the most politically damaging time for Clinton, a claim bolstered by Assange’s own admission that he saw Clinton as a “personal foe.” In addition to releasing emails from the DNC, Wikileaks also published a trove of emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s personal email account. Those were also released in batches in a way that kept much of the information in the news as the campaign progressed. WikiLeaks has even been accused of colluding with Russia’s attempts to propel now-President Donald Trump to the presidency. The U.S. intelligence community issued a report that attributed the DNC hack to Russian intelligence services, which caused many to question the extent to which WikiLeaks is associated with the Russian government. WikiLeaks has refused to divulge the source of the documents and has so far denied any connection with Russia.

Conclusion

As a political topic, WikiLeaks is no doubt controversial. In the era of fake news, and distrust in the media and government institutions, WikiLeaks has often garnered credit for being willing to provide ordinary citizens with primary sources. On the other hand, WikiLeaks’ mystique, founder’s legal issues, and accusations of bias and irresponsible dissemination of information has led to plenty of criticism. In fact, in the last year, plenty of think pieces have been written, accusing WikiLeaks of “losing its friends” and “losing the moral high ground.” But given the space it has carved out as a repository for leaked information, and the relative fame of some of the people associated with it, including Julian Assange, it’s unlikely to disappear from our radars anytime soon.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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After serving seven years behind bars, Chelsea Manning walked out of the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas today a free woman.

Manning, 29, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking hundreds of thousands of secret government files to Wikileaks. The leaked military archives contained files such as diplomatic cables, videos, and PowerPoint presentations, and is considered to be one of the largest leaks of classified information in history.

President Barack Obama commuted the bulk of her remaining sentence–all but four months to be exact–in January, as one of his final acts in office.

Manning, who already has a Twitter account that she updated regularly while in prison, quickly acclimated herself to new forms of social media upon her release. She commemorated her “first steps of freedom” on her newly acquired Instagram account–the app was created in 2010, the same year she went to prison.

First steps of freedom!! . . #chelseaisfree

A post shared by Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea87) on May 17, 2017 at 6:39am PDT

She even went as far to celebrate her first post-prison meal, a greasy slice of pepperoni pizza.

So, im already enjoying my first hot, greasy pizza

A post shared by Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea87) on May 17, 2017 at 9:34am PDT

Over the years, Manning, who has had a Twitter account since 2013, has remained vocal about her imprisonment, transition, and politics.

In a short statement Wednesday, Manning said:

After another anxious four months of waiting, the day has finally arrived. I am looking forward to so much! Whatever is ahead of me is far more important than the past. I’m figuring things out right now — which is exciting, awkward, fun, and all new for me.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Chelsea Manning is a Free Woman appeared first on Law Street.

Obama commutes sentence of Chelsea Manning. How many people died because of manning’ leak? https://t.co/WrijBtp4fo

— Judith Miller (@JMfreespeech) January 17, 2017

Miller, now a Fox News contributor, is the former New York Times reporter who wrote a series of stories on the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq using unnamed sources who gave Miller information that we now know to be completely false. After they were published, Bush administration officials used Miller’s stories as verified evidence of the presence of WMDs in Iraq, which helped to bolster support for the Iraq War–a more than $2 trillion military endeavor that resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 U.S. troops and millions of Iraqi civilians, as well as thousands of U.S soldiers who have been wounded both physically and mentally.

In 2015, Miller published her memoir, “The Story: A Reporter’s Journey,” in which she tried to rationalize her reporting and divert blame to her sources who, as she told Jon Stewart, “had never been wrong before.” Twitter wasted no time pointing out the hypocrisy of Miller’s Manning tweet, unleashing a flood of backlash.

@JMfreespeech pic.twitter.com/tt7xpnZuNZ

— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech pic.twitter.com/GG40QGenQj

— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech pic.twitter.com/rm1eG6Pdt8

— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech I dunno, Judith. How many died because you peddled lies about Saddam’s WMD?

— Mark Colvin (@Colvinius) January 17, 2017

.@JMfreespeech Good question. The answer is: None. Zero.
How many people died because of the Iraq War you helped enable with fake news?

— Peter Kofod (@peterkofod) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech Do you realize you’re THAT Judith Miller?

— Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech you literally caused the iraq war to happen under false pretenses, bye.

— Myles Tanzer (@mylestanzer) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech Your lies contributed to the deaths of more than 170,000 people. You are a weapon of mass destruction.

— Pete Forester (@pete_forester) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech Talk about the pot telling the kettle lies in order to start the iraqi war

— Sir Jeffington IV (@JeffCerulli) January 17, 2017

Judith Miller should probably sit this one out.

— Jane Coaston (@cjane87) January 17, 2017

In an attempt to quell the online hate, Miller took time out to respond to one of her critics–and plug her book.

@HarleyPeyton not lies or propaganda, but Intel estimates that proved wrong.Big https://t.co/t0K4ba5ucQ “The Story, a Reporter’s Journey”

— Judith Miller (@JMfreespeech) January 17, 2017

However, that response quickly backfired as well.

@JMfreespeech @HarleyPeyton From the NYT: “This sad and flawed book won’t help her be found.”

— Greg McMullen (@gmcmullen) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech @HarleyPeyton “To PROVE I’m not a lying sociopath, read my book: I’m Not a Lying Sociopath” By Judith Miller.
uh… ‘Kay. pic.twitter.com/QJPDsXjmsp

— Tony (@jaxtonypiper) January 18, 2017

@JMfreespeech @HarleyPeyton Sorry, Judy, but the author of that book has been thoroughly discredited by real journalists.

— (((TonyD))) (@Dogger55) January 17, 2017

@JMfreespeech @HarleyPeyton Girl….

— Charlie (@notcharchar) January 17, 2017

Regardless of where one stands on the Chelsea Manning commutation, one issue we can all agree on is that Judith Miller should not be the moral arbiter for anything.

Austin Elias-De Jesus

Austin is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. He is a junior at The George Washington University majoring in Political Communication. You can usually find him reading somewhere. If you can’t find him reading, he’s probably taking a walk. Contact Austin at Staff@Lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Twitter Unleashes Its Wrath on Judith Miller After Chelsea Manning Tweet appeared first on Law Street.

It’s inauguration week, but there are a lot of other things going on too. For example, the Air Force just relaxed its rules for recruits who have used marijuana before enlisting. Read more about that here. And that’s good news! Now check out some rant-worthy news. Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Just Days Before his Inauguration, Trump is Sued for Defamation

With only a few days left until his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump is facing a lawsuit by a former contestant on his TV show “The Apprentice.” Last year, Summer Zervos, who participated in the reality show in 2006, accused Trump of aggressively kissing and groping her when he met with her a year after she was on the show. In response, Trump claimed that she was a liar and made the whole thing up. Zervos is now saying that Trump defamed her by doing so. She says that she will retract her lawsuit and not seek any monetary damages if Trump takes his statement back and admits that what she said was true.

BREAKING: Former ‘Apprentice’ candidate Summer Zervos files defamation lawsuit against Donald Trumphttps://t.co/S3vTcKPB9P pic.twitter.com/XUHXCFiEDR

— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) January 17, 2017

Gloria Allred took the case and is also representing three other women who have accused Trump of similar behavior. “Enough is enough,” Allred said. “Truth matters. Women matter, those who allege they were victims of sexual misconduct or sexual assault by Mr. Trump matter.” Trump has already settled several lawsuits to avoid legal issues while in office, but those settlements have not required him to admit wrongdoing. Given that this lawsuit could be resolved without money, it will be interesting to see what his response will be.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: January 18, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Whistleblower Chelsea Manning is reportedly on President Barack Obama’s shortlist for a possible commutation, according to a source from the Justice Department. Manning, formerly known as Bradley, is serving a 35-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for leaking almost a million classified documents while working as an intelligence analyst. More than 100,000 people signed an online petition campaigning for a commutation last month, exceeding the number of signatures needed for the White House to act within 60 days.

Manning has been imprisoned since 2010. She tried to commit suicide twice while in jail and also went on a hunger strike in an attempt to receive gender reassignment surgery. This request was eventually granted. Her critics have called her a traitor and many in the military view her with disdain for exposing secret U.S. military information. But still, her supporters say that what Manning revealed didn’t cause any harm to U.S. interests, only embarrassment. She also made a sincere apology before the sentencing. But the judge sentenced her to 35 years in prison—ten times longer than sentences some other whistleblowers have received.

Chelsea Manning has been put on President Obama’s short list for possible commutation https://t.co/aWgoJn6YKt. pic.twitter.com/dgp34Joao9

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) January 11, 2017

“After this case, I had to tell Chelsea–‘I’ve represented murderers. I’ve represented rapists. I’ve represented child molesters. And none of them received 35 years,'” said defense lawyer David Coombs. Manning was also placed in solitary confinement for almost a year before the trial. In a letter accompanying the petition that was sent to President Obama, she describes a complicated family background; she was struggling with gender identity and trying to fit in while growing up, and was kicked out from her home by her father’s new wife. After being homeless for several months, her paternal aunt Deborah Manning got in touch and took her in.

Manning’s case broke almost concurrently with Edward Snowden’s–and Snowden had leaked significantly more damaging information. Four Army intelligence officers that spoke to NBC said that what Manning leaked was nothing compared to what Snowden revealed. They believe that the sentence seems exaggerated. And her aunt agrees. “I really believe the judge felt she needed to send some sort of message,” Deborah Manning said. “I think in a way she was a scapegoat for Edward Snowden.” And Snowden showed his support in a tweet.

Mr. President, if you grant only one act of clemency as you exit the White House, please: free Chelsea Manning. You alone can save her life.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 11, 2017

Her aunt and Manning’s legal team have also cited the urgent need for better care, as she is suffering from gender dysphoria related anxiety, distress, and depression. Manning’s aunt said, “I would say this is someone who’s never had a chance in life, who is extremely bright, who became extremely emotionally distressed as some point, who made a bad decision, who paid for that bad decision.”

Manning spoke to VICE News through a liaison and said: “I’m staying optimistic. Regardless of the outcome, I am eternally grateful I have so much love and support out there.”

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Will Obama Commute Chelsea Manning’s Sentence? appeared first on Law Street.

Chelsea Manning, the transgender whistleblower imprisoned for leaking classified government documents to Wikileaks, ended her hunger strike on Tuesday after the U.S. Army agreed to allow her to undergo gender transition surgery to treat her gender dysphoria.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Manning, who is a transgender woman, began the hunger strike on September 9 to demand the “medically necessary and recommended treatment” for her disorder.

“This is a monumental day for Chelsea, who can now enjoy some peace knowing that critically needed medical care is forthcoming,” said ACLU attorney Chase Strangio. “This medical care is absolutely vital for Chelsea as it is for so many transgender people–in and out of prison–who are systemically denied treatment solely because they are transgender.”

The former U.S. Army soldier is currently serving a 35-year prison sentence for espionage at Fort Leavenworth, an all-male Army prison in Kansas, after providing hundreds of thousands of documents to Wikileaks while working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq.

Her lawyers claim that while she’s been at Fort Leavenworth, army officials have subjected Manning to long stretches of solitary confinement and forced her to cut her hair to “male hair length standards”–which does not reflect her gender identity. Manning claims that the lack of care for her disorder contributed to her suicide attempt in July.

In 2014, Manning filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense so she could grow her hair out, use cosmetics, and receive hormone treatment to in order to express her female gender. The Army eventually agreed to allow her to receive hormone therapy, but it refused to allow her to groom as a woman.

In April 2016, Manning’s psychologist recommended she undergo gender transition surgery as part of her treatment. The Army’s decision to proceed with Manning’s treatment will make her the first transgender inmate to undergo the surgery while in prison.

Manning gave the following statement to the ACLU:

I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted–for them to let me be me. But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. Also, why were such drastic measures needed? The surgery was recommended in April 2016. The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014. In any case, I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need.

After news broke of the Army’s decision, social media critics came out in droves to condemn the use of  taxpayers’ money on the surgery.

Why exactly are tax payers footing the bill for Chelsea Manning’s surgery and temper tantrum?

— Tawnie (@Tawnie) September 14, 2016

How is it that “Chelsea Manning” gets a gender-change operation on the tax-payers dime? How is that appropriate use of tax-dollars?

— Greg Granger (@BattleCoachella) September 14, 2016

The Daily Beast, however, argues that if you’re ok with prisoners receiving antidepressants, you shouldn’t get worked up over Manning’s medical treatment. Both hormone treatment and gender reassignment surgery can be deemed medically necessary to treat individuals with gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder.

“Thankfully the government has recognized its constitutional obligation to provide Chelsea with the medical care that she needs and we hope that they will act without delay to ensure that her suffering does not needlessly continue,” said the ACLU.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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