Daniel Ellsberg
The Leaker
"To see the conflict and our part in it as a tragedy without villains, war crimes without criminals, lies without liars, espouses and promulgates a view of process, roles and motives that is not only grossly mistaken but which underwrites deceits that have served a succession of Presidents." Daniel Ellsberg (TIME Magazine, June 28, 1971)
Daniel Ellsberg was an analyst at the RAND Corporation which conducted research for the government. During his work on the Pentagon Papers, he became upset with the government's role in the Vietnam War. He expressed his disagreement by leaking the classified study to The New York Times.
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Ellsberg exercised responsibility and withheld some portions of the Pentagon Papers however, because he thought it was too sensitive and could damage national security.
After the Pentagon Papers case, Ellsberg was charged with espionage and faced 115 years in prison. Before a trial, the charges were dismissed in 1973.
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