A Double Standard on Leaks? As Whistleblowers Jailed, Petraeus Escapes Prison & Advises White House

With prosecutions of whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Thomas Drake, John Kiriakou and several others, the Obama administration is by far the most aggressive in history when it comes to punishing leaks. But is there a double standard when it comes to who is punished and who walks free? That is the question being raised after a lenient plea deal for David Petraeus, the retired fourstar general and former head of the CIA. Unlike the others, Petraeus did not release information to expose perceived government wrongdoing. Instead, Petraeus gave classified material to his girlfriend, Paula Broadwell, who was writing his biography. Petraeus let Broadwell access his CIA email account and other sensitive material, including the names of covert operatives in Afghanistan, war strategies, and quotes from White House meetings. Earlier this month, he reached a plea deal, admitting to one count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified information. Prosecutors will not seek prison time, but instead two years probation and a fine. We speak to Jesselyn Radack, National Security & Human Rights director at the Government Accountability Project. She is former ethics adviser to the U.S. Department of Justice. She is the lawyer for Edward Snowden, Thomas Drake and John Kiriakou three whistleblowers all charged under the Espionage Act. She recently wrote an article for Foreign Policy magazine headlined "Petraeus, Snowden, and the Department of TwoTiered Justice."

This video is an excerpt. Watch the full 30-minute interview on Democracy Now! here:

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