Federal Government Contractor in Georgia Charged With Removing and Mailing Classified Materials to a
Source: DOJ Department of Public Affairs
A criminal complaint was filed in the Southern District of Georgia today charging Reality Leigh Winner, 25, a federal contractor from Augusta, Georgia, with removing classified material from a government facility and mailing it to a news outlet, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 793(e).
Winner was arrested by the FBI at her home on Saturday, June 3, and appeared in federal court in Augusta this afternoon.
Exceptional law enforcement efforts allowed us quickly to identify and arrest the defendant, said Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. Releasing classified material without authorization threatens our nations security and undermines public faith in government. People who are trusted with classified information and pledge to protect it must be held accountable when they violate that obligation.
According to the allegations contained in the criminal complaint:
Winner is a contractor with Pluribus International Corporation assigned to a U.S. government agency facility in Georgia. She has been employed at the facility since on or about February 13, and has held a Top Secret clearance during that time. On or about May 9, Winner printed and improperly removed classified intelligence reporting, which contained classified national defense information from an intelligence community agency, and unlawfully retained it. Approximately a few days later, Winner unlawfully transmitted by mail the intelligence reporting to an online news outlet...
Read more: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-government-contractor-georgia-charged-removing-and-mailing-classified-materials-news
I wonder which news story this was about?
(hat tip to Maddow Blog) http://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)blogslut
(38,018 posts)I guess that totally confirms the Intercept story.
FM123
(10,054 posts)Unless the DOJ press office made a typo.
ToxMarz
(2,169 posts)shanti
(21,675 posts)It used to be Sara.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)nobody doesn't like Sara Leigh. What do I win?
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)janterry
(4,429 posts)and she's just 25. This could be a mess for her
NobodyHere
(2,810 posts)janterry
(4,429 posts)but so young
snooper2
(30,151 posts)LOL
muriel_volestrangler
(101,368 posts)(there isn't one in LBN - is The Intercept an acceptable LBN source?) https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029162903
blogslut
(38,018 posts)I was hesitant about that Intercept story but Greenwald's name isn't on the byline list and all the reporters I follow on twitter were re-tweeting it. Then, as was evidenced in the DU OP you linked to, numerous other news outlets have confirmed the story.
I still don't trust Glenn Greenwald and would not cite anything with his name on it but, anyway
still_one
(92,422 posts)I really hope the Intercept did not carelessly handle her identity, which is how the arrest came about
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)had accessed it. A search of her computer apparently found email contact with the news organization that
received the leak.
still_one
(92,422 posts)it was time to go public
In my book she isa pretty courageous person
riversedge
(70,310 posts)in the story).
still_one
(92,422 posts)riversedge
(70,310 posts)still_one
(92,422 posts)riversedge
(70,310 posts)politicat
(9,808 posts)They published in such a way that it made the whistleblower-hunter's job easy by narrowing the focus.
The Intercept burnt her on purpose. I've got a feeling it exists as a honey trap for whistleblowers, because no organization with the institutional experience of what not to do with whistleblowers would do it again unless they wanted to send a message to other whistleblowers that they're not safe.
Washington Post looks like they may be the safest haven. They know how to protect their sources.
Fucking Greenwald.
barbtries
(28,811 posts)her name is unique. she has no presence on FB or Linked In as far as i can see. i can find no picture of her.
more than anything i wonder if she is a patriotic American trying to help save democracy or if she was bribed so much money it was worth it to her to take this risk.
i won't click on right wing sites.
metalbot
(1,058 posts)Her page, unfortunately, is not very locked down, and is currently being vandalized pretty heavily.
ATL Ebony
(1,097 posts)EL34x4
(2,003 posts)ATL Ebony
(1,097 posts)metalbot
(1,058 posts)This was a very normal girl, most of her posts being about her crossfit, various workouts, family, and cats. Her settings were set to allow anyone to comment on her posts, and most of her posts were public, so the comment streams are completely vile.
ATL Ebony
(1,097 posts)LiberalLovinLug
(14,176 posts)Going after her for revealing more of their master's scheming.
IMO a lot more of the ones we thought during the election and primaries, and think even now, were Trump's online deplorable army were and are actually Russians.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)I'll see if I can find it again.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)nt
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Which part?
This arrest confirms the leaked report was genuine.
bigtime
(725 posts)and then essentially confirmed by the actions of the FBI / DOJ. but a bummer for Reality Winner.
still_one
(92,422 posts)exposed her to the federal authorities, which allowed her arrest.
The only other hesitation I would have is if it would not have been better to wait until after Comey's testimony?
Also, does releasing information like this hurt the investigation, especially if there was more things to uncover?
I wonder if the Intercept should have held onto the story a little longer before going public
barbtries
(28,811 posts)"Exceptional law enforcement efforts allowed us quickly to identify and arrest the defendant, said Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. Releasing classified material without authorization threatens our nations security and undermines public faith in government. People who are trusted with classified information and pledge to protect it must be held accountable when they violate that obligation.
at first glance this appears to have been leaked to the American people. What about Trump? leaking to the russians. who's the threat around here these days?
they'll make hay with this story so that the information it contains, which is damning to the country, is lost. they'll always do that. and they'll get away with it time after time. the story isn't the leaker; it's the russians and the trump administration. i do not want to lose sight of that.
i know this is all really speculative.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)The arrest confirms the report is genuine.
4139
(1,893 posts)Adding on...
She's toast, she confessed!
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)"Hmm, what's the opposite of 'Fake Loser'? Brilliant, no one will ever suspect!"
Blue Idaho
(5,057 posts)still_one
(92,422 posts)better for The Intercept to hold off a little longer before releasing it to the public
Blue Idaho
(5,057 posts)Why not present the whole case - lock stock and barrel?
IronLionZion
(45,540 posts)LeftInTX
(25,565 posts)IronLionZion
(45,540 posts)snooper2
(30,151 posts)still_one
(92,422 posts)to Federal authorities through carelessness.
I am wondering if the intercept had held off until after the Comey testimony if it would not have been better?
Regardless, this is a very courageous person. She not only risks prison, but she will probably will never be able to work again in her field of expertise
Very brave person
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,199 posts)I saw the person's name as "Reality Leigh Winner" and honest to God I thought it was a second rate satire piece from some knock off of The Onion.
Reality Leigh Winner?!?
madville
(7,412 posts)Probably lose any VA benefits she had previously earned in the military, never hold another security clearance or position of trust. This is a small one-off incident so after the initial day or two newsflash she'll quickly be forgotten.
They're gonna make an example of her to other federal employees in similar positions though, go for the max sentence from the government side.
mchill
(1,018 posts)If you managed to stick out the 30 plus years, one was rewarded with a fairly decent pension. It tends to develop loyalty and esprit de corps. Of course, pensions have changed since the 80's, but that CSRS pension was developed for that reason.
You never used to see inside security leaks like this before GWB and crew started to privatise the intelligence services.
Goprox
(78 posts)I don't know.
JTFrog
(14,274 posts)Putin probably paid YUGE bank for all the Snowden intel. I still find the timing of the Russians hacking our election suspicious as hell. Where has Snowden been this whole time?
Covfefe.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,176 posts)its like bizzaro DU in here sometimes
He is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who speaks truth to power. He has his flaws but look at the big picture fer gawds sake. How many more and bigger news organizations are there that dominate that are either of the false equivalency breed that thinks it needs a horse race to make money, or the blatant right wing Trump cheerleader variety. He, and his paper are a breath of life into the dying shrinking world of hard hitting journalism. She probably purposely released it to The Intercept because she knew she could trust them to publish it.
Goprox
(78 posts)Otherwise Maureen Dowd would be a great journalist.
Glenn Greenwald is a Putin loving Hillary hater.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,176 posts)deurbano
(2,896 posts)http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/05/media-leaks-cybersecurity-espionage-239162
<<The Trump administration on Monday brought its first case under the Espionage Act, charging an intelligence agency contractor with leaking a classified document to a news outlet.>>
still_one
(92,422 posts)and I hope he is held accountable
inwiththenew
(972 posts)Ole Jeffey is probably licking his lips.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)riversedge
(70,310 posts)Lots of Hillary hate posts posted.
https://www.facebook.com/RealityWinner
LonePirate
(13,431 posts)He supports her actions for helping to publicize classified information. The Deplorables are now pissed at him because they have deemed Winner a traitor for hurting their idol by leaking this report.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)nitpicker
(7,153 posts)TheFrenchRazor
(2,116 posts)i'm a whole lot more worried about stolen elections than i am about people making this information public.
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)the leaked information 'Top Secret', and nowhere does it say it was. All it says is 'classified' over and over. How many cans of beans there are in the kitchen on an aircraft carrier is 'classified' FFS.
And if it's the Intercept info, how the hell is that rightfully called 'national defense information'?
It's more like "Drumpf Defense Information".
And who the hell is dumb enough in a job like this ... to contact the media on their damn WORK PC ... and then proceed to hand over classified info they PRINTED OUT, knowing a record is made of said printout ... when that's done?
This whole thing, from her name, to the info in the article itself ... it's pretty damn sketch if you ask me ...
bluestarone
(17,058 posts)is WHY THE HELL IS THIS SHIT CLASSIFIED ANYHOW!!!!! Don't we citizens have a RIGHT to know this after this much time has passed since the election??????????????? this should change a lot of the assholes (TRUMP PEOPLES) minds (you would think)
jayfish
(10,039 posts)I know I will.
LeftInTX
(25,565 posts)But we do have a right to know and this information should have been made public via an NSA spokesman.
Unfortunately when documents are leaked they may reveal investigative technologies/techniques that we do not want enemies to be aware of etc etc. Therefore they are "classified".
But there is no reason at all we should have not known about this. NSA could have told us.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)She worshiped at the altar of St. Snowden, and it is the Archbishop Greenwald who sells her down the river before her first leak story is even printed...
benld74
(9,910 posts)She is Air Force veteran
They are saying to support her with all u got
She told all that Pooty said was a lie
She is fully anti Strump