[mlthoughts2018]

It actually isn’t, at least how it has been determined in case law. Dan Ellsberg, famed leaker of the Pentagon Papers, testified about this just a few days ago in the Assange extradition hearing.

Whistleblowing isn’t stealing or the illegal revelation of secrets. You have to actually prove it’s not whistleblowing for it to be possible to consider it theft.

That’s why the US government rushed to add last minute new indictments against Assange for violating the Espionage Act by putting US interests in harm’s way - they knew their case in terms of possession, theft or publishing was complete b.s.