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unusual facts about Espionage Act of 1917


Fayetteville, Texas

As reprinted by Stars and Stripes in its March 15, 1918 issue, the town's mayor, W. C. Langlotz, and ten of the town's citizens were charged with espionage.


2013 Department of Justice investigations of reporters

In 2013, the United States Department of Justice, under Attorney General Eric Holder, came under scrutiny from the media and some members of Congress for subpoenaing phone records from the Associated Press and naming Fox News reporter, James Rosen, a "criminal co-conspirator" under the Espionage Act of 1917 in order to gain access to his personal emails and phone records.

Jeffrey Alexander Sterling

Jeffrey Alexander Sterling is an American former CIA employee who was indicted, arrested, and charged with violating the Espionage Act for allegedly revealing details about Operation Merlin to journalist James Risen.

William Welch II

Sterling was indicted in December 2010 under the Espionage Act of 1917 on charges he had violated national security provisions by disclosing classified information to a New York Times journalist, James Risen, specifically being information used in the book State of War.


see also