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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:30 AM Aug 2018

Reality Winner, Who Leaked A Secret Report On Russian Hacking, Gets 5 Years

Source: Talking Points Memo/AP

By Associated Press
August 23, 2018 11:17 am

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — A former government contractor who pleaded guilty to mailing a classified U.S. report to a news organization was sentenced to more than five years Thursday as part of a deal with prosecutors, who called it the longest sentence ever imposed for a federal crime involving leaks to the media.

Reality Winner, 26, pleaded guilty in June to a single count of transmitting national security information. The former Air Force translator worked as a contractor at a National Security Agency’s office in Augusta, Georgia, when she printed a classified report and left the building with it tucked into her pantyhose. Winner told the FBI she mailed the document to an online news outlet.

In court Thursday, Winner apologized and acknowledged that what she did was wrong.

Authorities never identified the news organization. But the Justice Department announced Winner’s June 2017 arrest the same day The Intercept reported on a secret NSA document. It detailed Russian government efforts to penetrate a Florida-based supplier of voting software and the accounts of election officials ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The NSA report was dated May 5, the same as the document Winner had leaked.

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/reality-winner-who-leaked-a-secret-report-on-russian-hacking-gets-5-years

Reality Winner to be sentenced for leaking top secret U.S. report

Source: Reuters

AUGUST 23, 2018 / 8:49 AM / UPDATED 28 MINUTES AGO

Gina Cherelus
3 MIN READ

(Reuters) - Former U.S. intelligence contractor Reality Winner, who pleaded guilty to illegally leaking to a media outlet a top secret report on Russian interference in U.S. elections, was due to be sentenced on Thursday in Georgia.

The 26-year-old, who has spent nearly two years in jail, was accused of passing a National Security Agency report to The Intercept in 2016. She initially denied the charges but in June changed her plea to guilty.

Her attorneys have requested a prison sentence of 63 months followed by three years of supervised release, arguing that it was “more than sufficient to satisfy the goals of sentencing,” court documents showed.

An attorney for Winner would not comment on Thursday when asked about the sentencing hearing, which is due to take place at 10 a.m. ET in federal court in Winner’s hometown of Augusta, Georgia.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-leaks/reality-winner-to-be-sentenced-for-leaking-top-secret-u-s-report-idUSKCN1L81FD 4

The above, was originally posted here:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142140974

20 replies

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Highlight:

Reality Winner, Who Leaked A Secret Report On Russian Hacking, Gets 5 Years (Original Post) DonViejo Aug 2018 OP

Reality Winner was NOT a contestant on The Apprentice Brother Buzz Aug 2018 #1

I've tripped over her name multiple times on the TV news crawl. lagomorph777 Aug 2018 #16

damn it. eom LittleGirl Aug 2018 #2

News like this... CanSocDem Aug 2018 #3

The first act of the Democratic president in 2020 should be to commute the sentence Tarc Aug 2018 #4

My thoughts exactly! True_Blue Aug 2018 #5

Let her go home. 7wo7rees Aug 2018 #12

She's a hero in my estimation as well. Who knows where this is going to end but it starts with politicaljunkie41910 Aug 2018 #14

She broke the law and I'm glad she was prosecuted. However, I agree with you. fleur-de-lisa Aug 2018 #13

What little news I have on her wanting and being incarcerated at FMC Carswell elmac Aug 2018 #6

This message was self-deleted by its author Duppers Aug 2018 #19

"tRumpsters should take her place" Duppers Aug 2018 #20

Meanwhile we have a Kremlin stooge in the White House. n/t QC Aug 2018 #7

She tipped off Russia to what the NSA had on them Qutzupalotl Aug 2018 #8

That's how I see it too. Hey Russia, Here's what worked and what didn't work. Love, The Intercept. FSogol Aug 2018 #9

I'm sure Trump did that himself. lagomorph777 Aug 2018 #17

Trusting Glenn Greenwald. 🤔 irisblue Aug 2018 #10

I heard on Right Wing radio today that she expressed support for Al Qaeda and Jihadists. Oneironaut Aug 2018 #11

She committed a crime. If you can justify a pardon for her then you cannot complain about a Trust Buster Aug 2018 #15

I've spoken my piece countless times. I'll just drop these here and be out Blue_Tires Aug 2018 #18

Brother Buzz

(36,478 posts)

1. Reality Winner was NOT a contestant on The Apprentice

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:35 AM

Aug 2018

SO STOP SAYING THAT!

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)

16. I've tripped over her name multiple times on the TV news crawl.

Reply to Brother Buzz (Reply #1)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 04:50 PM

Aug 2018

I keep waiting to see who they are talking about - what's their name?

LittleGirl

(8,291 posts)

2. damn it. eom

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:37 AM

Aug 2018

CanSocDem

(3,286 posts)

3. News like this...

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:42 AM

Aug 2018

...has to be managed for best results. Your average citizen is not part of the 'management team'.

k&r

.

Tarc

(10,476 posts)

4. The first act of the Democratic president in 2020 should be to commute the sentence

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:50 AM

Aug 2018

or issue an outright pardon.

True_Blue

(3,063 posts)

5. My thoughts exactly!

Reply to Tarc (Reply #4)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:52 AM

Aug 2018

7wo7rees

(5,128 posts)

12. Let her go home.

Reply to Tarc (Reply #4)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 01:50 PM

Aug 2018

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/23/641229886/reality-winner-sentenced-to-5-years-3-months-for-leaking-classified-info

In a court filing earlier this month, prosecutors said the recommended 63-month sentence would be "the longest sentence served by a federal defendant for an unauthorized disclosure to the media."

It's more than twice as long as the sentence for a former CIA officer who disclosed the name of a covert officer to the press, and more than three times as long as the sentence for an FBI translator who leaked wiretaps of the Israeli Embassy to a blogger.

The Associated Press reports:

"Her attorneys had argued for Winner to be released on bond, noting she had no criminal record and had served honorably in the military. The judge sided with prosecutors who said Winner posed a potential flight risk and may have stolen other classified documents.

"Prosecutors also used Winner's own words against her, including a Facebook chat in which Winner once wrote to her sister: "Look, I only say I hate America like 3 times a day."

Whistleblowers are not always heroes. But she is, in my estimation.
She's definitely a victim of a retaliatory system.

politicaljunkie41910

(3,335 posts)

14. She's a hero in my estimation as well. Who knows where this is going to end but it starts with

Reply to 7wo7rees (Reply #12)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 02:18 PM

Aug 2018

people like Winner disclosing what they know and not waiting to see if someone else is going to come forward when our nation's security and our elections are at stake. I salute her and hope that a presidential pardon is waiting for her from our next Commander-in-Chief.

fleur-de-lisa

(14,628 posts)

13. She broke the law and I'm glad she was prosecuted. However, I agree with you.

Reply to Tarc (Reply #4)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 01:57 PM

Aug 2018

I would fully support a pardon or commutation of her sentence.

elmac

(4,642 posts)

6. What little news I have on her wanting and being incarcerated at FMC Carswell

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu Aug 23, 2018, 11:53 AM

Aug 2018

is because she is suffering from bulimia as well as depression. She should be free and tRumpsters should take her place, including the traitors who voted for him.