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A YOUNG WOMAN charged with leaking US government secrets to a reporter poses no flight risk if she’s released from pre-trial confinement, her parents have said.
However, they fear prosecutors will seek to use the case to send a tough message from the Trump administration.
It will be difficult for 25-year-old Reality Winner to get a fair trial if her case becomes “this big thing where we’re not going to tolerate leakers”, Winner’s mother, Billie Winner-Davis, told AP.
“I think they’re going to try to make an example out of her because of the political climate right now,” Winner-Davis said.
Winner, a former Air Force linguist who now works as a US government contractor, was arrested Saturday by FBI agents on charges that she made copies of a classified report containing top-secret information and mailed it to an online news organisation.
A judge has scheduled a District Court hearing for today to determine whether to allow Winner to be released on bond pending trial. She has been jailed in neighboring Lincoln County since her arrest, according to a booking report released by the sheriff.
“She’s not a flight risk,” Gary Davis, Winner’s stepfather, said.
Everybody in America knows what she looks like at this point. She’s never ran away from anything in her life. She’s not a violent person. She has no record. There’s no reason to hold her.
Prosecutors have not named the news outlet, but her arrest was announced no Monday as the website the Intercept reported it had obtained a classified National Security Agency report suggesting Russian hackers had attacked a US voting software supplier before last year’s presidential election.
The Intercept said the NSA report was dated 5 May — the same date court records cited for the documents Winner is accused of leaking.
Air Force
Winner grew up in Kingsville, Texas, and enlisted in the Air Force after graduating from high school. Davis said she became a linguist, speaking Arabic and Farsi, and spent four years assigned to the NSA at Fort Mead, Maryland. During that time, he said, Winner provided real-time translation to Americans conducting field missions.
Davis said she received a commendation for aiding in the deaths of more than 100 enemy combatants and more than 250 enemy captures.
“If she made this mistake,” Davis said, referring to the leaked documents, “it needs to be balanced against what she has done in the past and how she has served this country”.
Neither prosecutors nor Winner’s parents have identified the government agency where she worked at the time of her arrest. But the NSA has operated a $286 million complex in Augusta since 2012.
Though she was active on social media, Winner doesn’t appear to have discussed her work online. She did use her Facebook page to speak freely about politics, including some scathing opinions on US President Donald Trump.
She posted on Facebook three months ago that climate change is a more important issue than health care “since not poisoning an entire population seems to be more in line with ‘health’ care, and not the disease care system that people voted for a soulless ginger orangutan to ‘fix’”.
Court records say Winner admitted to sending a copy of the classified report to a news outlet when an FBI agent interviewed her at her home on Saturday.
In a court affidavit filed late on Tuesday, the FBI said it seized Winner’s US passport, two notebooks, two laptop computers and a country handbook for Iran issued from the defence department.
Investigators said in court records that they wanted to search her property for a variety of computer information as well as possible contacts with media outlets and any possible contacts with “foreign governments, foreign powers, or agents of foreign powers”.
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Her name is Reality Winner? A hahahaha
@Pappy O’Daniel: Looks like she’s turned up trumps on this one .
@Pappy O’Daniel:
She’ll be changing it in prison to Reality Loser.
@Pappy O’Daniel: I was combing the article looking for what reality show she had won!
@Pappy O’Daniel: think she changed her name from Sara. Flips sake you would think no leakers were ever prosecuted before trump came along. Surprise surprise they have. Quite a lot under Obama but hey as usual , let’s make this into trump bashing reason. Media has lost its mind…
@LITTLEONE: no, wrong again, she used the fake name Sara Winners on social media.
Does she not deserve to be made an example of? No loyalty to her country smh
@Shane Moynihan: What did she leak that was so damaging to her country? Do tell as I’m really interested to hear about it..
@Shane Moynihan: First off what she did was stupid and illegal, she should be punished. But your understanding of loyalty is as off as your leader when he repeatedly asked Comey for loyalty. “patriotism is supporting your country always and your government when it deserves it” – Mark Twain
@Francis Mc Carthy: “US Government Secrets” Did you read the article it’s in the first paragraph
@Dave O Keeffe: Mark Twain isn’t living in 2017 America now is he Dave. Just cos a guy said something doesn’t make it fact
@Shane Moynihan: that’s exactly what I think when you and your leader say or post anything
@Dave O Keeffe: My leader? He’s just the President of the greatest country on earth xx
I read the article Shane but I’m still none the wiser from it.
Can you tell us was it more “damaging” than the damaging leaks that Trump has leaked out ? Manchester ? Israel ?
@Francis Mc Carthy: haha if they’re so damaging then where is all the carnage
@Francis Mc Carthy: You dont get it do you . She leaked US government secrets that not her job . How can you operate security secret services if someone on the team leaks to the press .Give her 20 years no excuses
@Robert Preston: My man
@Robert Preston: That is a bit rich coming from you eh :-) Can you tell us what exactly she leaked to the press that was so “damaging” to her country ? Was it worse than what Trump has leaked ? That is all I’m asking from ye bozos :-)
@Shane Moynihan: You said that it was “damaging to her country” – yet you don’t provide any details on what she leaked :-)
@Shane Moynihan: yes your leader, you voted for him remember?
@Francis Mc Carthy: wasn’t it about Russians with state connections hacking the company that either controls or services voting machines? To be honest at this point I think it was a fake report created to flush out the leak but anything is possible
@Francis Mc Carthy: Well then the story a non story and shes been arrested on false charges . Is that what your trying to say . Anyway its no her place to leak anything could or bad but its her job to keep secrets safe .
That is what I have heard/read as well ,Dave.
@Shane Moynihan: What you really mean is no loyalty to Orange Trump. If she needs to be made an example for that, then she’s in good company with the latest US opinion polls showing just over 30% support him.
@Shane Moynihan: Were those the ones that established the Russian hack in the elections.
@Robert Preston:Huh?
I asked this very simple question : “What did she leak that was so damaging to her country?”
Now Dave has given a clue on what she was supposed to have leaked.Can you answer that question that I have asked above a few times now ?
@Francis Mc Carthy: it’s irrelevant what she leaked, doesn’t matter how many times you ask. The only thing that matters was she leaked US government secrets. Thats all a judge will worry about.
@Dave O Keeffe: haha I voted for the best man for the job. Btw I don’t really care for your shitty agenda Dave, let’s have a convo one on one and see how smart you are
@Shane Kinsella: Still not answering the question that I have asked of ye bozos ..Oh well,I should have expected those replies from the Trumpanzies :-)
@Shane Moynihan: you have shown no signs of the intelligence to be capable of such a thing. Also, we have had one on one conversations in the past.
@Francis Mc Carthy: I’m afraid you’re the bozo here Francis wait is that a boys name or a girls name
@Dave O Keeffe: Cmon so, in person. Where you living I’ll get a lift up
@Shane Moynihan: and there you go proving my point again
@Francis Mc Carthy: http://www.snopes.com/household-printers-tracking-code/
She leaked to snopes that colour laser printers secretly tag all pages with the serial number of the printer and the date and time it was printed….
@Francis Mc Carthy: Sorry correction she emailed it to The Intercept, Snopes picked up on it….
@Ronan Fitzgerald: no, that’s just how she was caught
@Shane Moynihan: also, Comey’s hearing starts in 7 minutes, where do you think I am? If you can remember where I live you’re more than welcome to join me.
@Dave O Keeffe: Bruh do you think everyone knows you or what, you’re not that famous dude get off your high horse. I literally have no idea who you are. And anyway would you not have better things to be doing than stirring up $hit on the journal
@Peedur Dante: it’s actually pretty funny, he’s a friend of a friend, we’ve had one on one conversations in the past. He’s more clueless in person.
@Dave O Keeffe: Is that right fam love you xx
@Dave O Keeffe: And believe me, I wouldnt be caught dead hanging around people like you in real life. Bit of a stalker there no?
@Shane Moynihan: eh, you invited yourself to hang out with me earlier
@Dave O Keeffe: Merely a request my dear
Enough already Journal.ie we get it Trump is the most evil US president in the history of the world and the most corrupt and is working for Putin…….Everyone in the US hates him….Brave campaign lead by fearless CNN and CNBC and NYT in their pursuit of truth means he will soon be impeached…….We are all converted by you and RTE and BBC please spare up the hour by hour reports from the US….
@John003: Truth. People need to be reminded that almost half of American voters voted for the man, and id be willing to bet even more people are on his side now but are too afraid to admit it due to “you’re such a rascist”. Looking forward to another 7.5 years of a Trump presidency
@John003: How exactly will he be impeached when there is a Republican controlled house that are still backing him to the hilt ? Unless of course he will be found guilty of being a traitor ?
I do find ye minions so adorable at times :-)
@Shane Moynihan: less than 30% of American voters voted for him. You’re absolutely clueless
@Dave O Keeffe: No point talking about only 30% voted for him now . If your to lazy to get up off your ass and vote dont bitch about it later on . That goes for all political parties left or right
@John003: They say the truth hurts.
@Just Me: I was replying to Daves comment but thnaks for the heads up
@Robert Preston: Are you also John003 ?
@Just Me: NO …. Are you Dave O Keeffe
@Robert Preston:Dave provided two facts and you start rambling ..
@Francis Mc Carthy: Two facts are ??? because i dont see them in this thread . Maybe its another Topic on another page .
@Robert Preston: sure, if you want to throw away the voters Trump will need in 3 and a half years time go right ahead. I’m sure they’ll be delighted to know that they can stay at home again. Some day soon you’ll realise that Team Trump needs to start winning people over.
@Dave O Keeffe: More than SEVEN years left Dave, let that sink in. Shitty liberal agendas are over and done with, the people have spoken by voting for Trump. A word of advice for you my man, if you can’t beat them, join them ;)
@Shane Moynihan: eh, he’s only guaranteed 3 and a half more, that’s all I was saying. But yeah sure, keep overlooking the democratic process. Seems to be all the rage with Team Trump and the Trumpettes
@Robert Preston: “@Shane Moynihan: less than 30% of American voters voted for him. You’re absolutely clueless” Two facts.
@Shane Moynihan : How has he been getting on with his ‘agenda,’ since he was elected ? To be honest with you,I’m a wee bit concerned about him,as its been a month or so since he signed an EO …Is he ok?
@Francis Mc Carthy: almost four weeks since he’s done an interview
@Dave O Keeffe: Haha you are all getting so TRIGGERED, I’m loving it. Let’s keep it going guys, maybe we should set up a group chat together. Anyone got WhatsApp ?
@Dave O Keeffe: He must be ‘exhausted’ after his first little trip away ….
Hillary would have had wayy more stamina than him :-)
@Francis Mc Carthy: Sarcasm my love
I thought she won a reality show until I realised her name is actually Reality Winner. What the actual fack.
@Seán Ó Briain: same here. Maybe the it should be pointed out that a woman named Reality Winner sold national security secrets.
On for the record she deserves to treated harshly for selling secrets.
The laws are already in place for people like her, I think the maximum sentence is life. #wholenewreality
The Ecuadorian embassy in London might have a spare room soon enough. She’ll be fine there
We’re living in an alternate “Reality” controlled by the GOP, thou must not speak against the regime, there’s only one winner here!
@Dub_Right: yada yada yada dictator dictator dictator
@Dub_Right: The GOP are a political party in the USA . What the f..k does the GOP go to do with Ireland and the rest of the world ?
@Robert Preston: you’re right, America has nothing to do with the rest of the world anymore. They’ve handed the leadership over to China
@Dave O Keeffe: To a very small tiny extent . Tell me Dave how are the GOP affecting your life today . Just reminds me i need to right to my local GOP canidate and complain about the state of the roads around here . F..k the election thats going on .
@Robert Preston: Read the article and how the comments relate to it, and not just read the comments only…
@Robert Preston: You were a lad that was backing Trump to the hilt when the elections were going on,yes? So what the f**k is your problem if Dave starts to rightfully criticise the way that Trump is going about things ?
@Francis Mc Carthy: Calm down princess . I was not backing Trump to the hilt . Some of what Trump was saying i agreed with some not . This is Europe and i dont have an american vote . Its also a forum where people can challenge each other opinions and critics each other . Dave/others has criticised me many times and i dont mind . If you take offence then maybe public forums are not for you . Are you Daves spokesperson ??
@Robert Preston: Oh,yes,you were princess..
Are you Shane’s sweetheart ?
@Robert Preston: why are you questioning my right to comment on current affairs? You’re here too
If you look at her Twitter is unreal.I mean this moron tweeted kanye west saying he should make a tshirt saying ” Being white is terrorism” sadly lefty SJW brain washing has caused her to ruin her life and its not as if she wasnt already up against with that bleedin name.
Am i the only one that thought she won some tv show in the past and was looking to see her name in the article.
An example? So snowden or manning weren’t examples?
reality winner jaysus lads u couldn’t make this up
New Nomination for Curator Approval -Reality Winner, “Communicative Champion of Truth”
Have your say @ http://www.publicarchives.info/curators.html
(Full Nomination available to view on our Facebook page)
Planet’s Choice, “Recognizing the World Online!”
have your say