Free the press, free Assange

I write to you as a constituent with grave concerns about the prosecution of Julian Assange. The indictment against him seeks to criminalize basic journalistic activity, from communicating with sources, to obtaining information in the public interest, to publishing. Major newspaper publishers, including at the New York Times, have said that these charges threaten the very journalism that they practice every day, the journalism that keeps our institutions accountable, our government transparent, and our public informed. You can help avoid what would be an unprecedented assault on the First Amendment’s protection of a free press by cosponsoring House Resolution 934, which expresses “the sense of the House of Representatives that regular journalistic activities are protected under the First Amendment, and that the United States ought to drop all charges against and attempts to extradite Julian Assange.” Assange has already endured five years of maximum-security prison. If sent to the United States, he could face 175 years more, and our country could face a journalism crisis. Please, do the right thing and help end this case today. Step up for the First Amendment, uphold the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution, and support the calls to drop the charges against Julian Assange now!