Daniel Hale, who revealed information on the targeted assassination program while President Barack Obama was in office, will be sentenced in July
Daniel Hale, who blew the whistle on the United States government’s targeted assassination program that includes drones, pled guilty to transmitting and retaining “national defense information” in violation of the Espionage Act.
The guilty plea by Hale makes him the first whistleblower to be convicted under the Espionage Act during President Joe Biden’s administration.
A change of plea hearing was held on March 31 in the Eastern District of Virginia, around a week before Hale was scheduled to go to trial.
Judge Liam O’Grady permitted Hale to remain under supervision by a probation officer until sentencing on July 13.
Though Hale pled guilty, prosecutors from the Justice Department opposed canceling the trial altogether and refused to dismiss the four remaining charges. Hale’s attorney questioned why this would be allowed.
O’Grady seemed to recognize the four remaining charges criminalize much of the conduct already covered in Hale’s plea. Often this is referred to as charge stacking. Yet the judge permitted the government’s extraordinary and unusual request, leaving open the possibility of a trial if prosecutors are unhappy with sentencing.
Under President Barack Obama, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou was targeted in the Eastern District of Virginia with an Espionage Act prosecution. He wound up pleading guilty to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act in order to ensure he only went to prison for 30 months.
“I’m disappointed that Daniel Hale’s case was continued in the Biden Justice Department,” Kiriakou shared after learning Hale changed his plea. “I had hopes that Biden’s Justice Department appointee would recognize the public service that Daniel Hale provided when he revealed illegality and abuse in the drone program.”
[…]
Via https://dissenter.substack.com/p/daniel-hale-whistleblower-guilty-plea
The Most Revolutionary Act 
THE MULATTO WARLORD WHO GOT THE NOBLE PEACE PRIZE
Among other things President Barack Obama said:
•Sent 3,500 U.S. troops and tanks to Russia’s doorstep in one of his final decisions as president.
•Ordered ten times more drone strikes than Bush.
•Dropped 26,171 bombs in 2016 alone (an average of 72 bombs every day).
•Put boots on the ground in Syria, despite 16 times saying “no boots on the ground”.
•Despite campaign pledges, planned a $1 trillion program to add more nuclear weapons to the US arsenal in the next 30 years.
•Dropped bombs in 7 Muslim countries; and then bragged about it.
•Said, “I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being.”
•Bragged about his use of drones – I’m “really good at killing people”.
•Deported a modern-record 2 million immigrants.
•Signed the Monsanto Protection Act into law.
•Started a new war in Iraq.
•Initiated, and personally oversees a ‘Secret Kill List’.
•Pushed for war on Syria while siding with al-Qaeda .
•Backed neo-Nazis in Ukraine.
•Supported Israel’s wars and occupation of Palestine.
•Deployed Special Ops to 134 countries – compared to 60 under Bush.
•Did a TV commercial promoting “clean coal”.
•Drastically escalated the NSA spying program .
•Signed the NDAA into law – making it legal to assassinate Americans w/o charge or trial.
•Given Bush absolute immunity for everything.
•Pushed for a TPP Trade Pact.
•Started a new war on terror – this one on ISIS .
•Signed more executive memoranda than any other president in history.
•Transferred more than $100 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, more than any other administration in history.
•Signed an agreement for 7 military bases in Colombia .
•Opened a military base in Chile.
•Touted nuclear power, even after the disaster in Japan.
•Opened up deep-water oil drilling, even after the BP disaster.
•Mandated the Insider Threat Program which orders federal employees to report suspicious actions of their colleagues.
•Defended body scans and pat-downs at airports.
•Signed the Patriot Act extension into law.
•Launched 20,000 Airstrikes in his first term.
•Continued Bush’s rendition program.
•Said the U.S. is the “one indispensable nation” in the world.
•Waged war on Libya without congressional approval.
•Started a covert, drone war in Yemen.
•Escalated the proxy war in Somalia.
•Escalated the CIA drone war in Pakistan.
•Sharply escalated the war in Afghanistan.
•Repealed the Propaganda ban, making it legal to spread government propaganda via news outlets.
•Assassinated 4 US citizens with drone strikes.
“…we’ve increased foreign military financing to record levels.”
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In my view, goldfinger it throws the whole Nobel Peace Prize process into question.
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Actually was supplying ISIS with weapons through Benghazi operation.
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This, too, Andy. We mustn’t forget Benghazi.
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