AMNA: WELCOME TO THE "NEWS HOUR."

WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE, A BRAVE WHISTLEBLOWER TO HIS ALLIES, A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT TO HIS CRITICS, IS ON THE VERGE OF BEING A FREE MAN.

GEOFF: ASSANGE IS PLEADING GUILTY IN A COURT IN THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, A U.S. COMMONWEALTH, AND WILL BE SENTENCED TO TIME SERVED, ALLOWING HIM TO RETURN TO HIS NATIVE AUSTRALIA.

NICK SCHIFRIN IS HERE TRACKING THIS STORY.

NICK?

NICK: GEOFF, ASSANGE IS NOTORIOUS FOR SOME OF THE LARGEST LEAKS OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION IN U.S. HISTORY, AS WELL AS POSTING EMAILS THAT PLAYED AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN THE 2016 ELECTION.

AND TONIGHT, THE WIKILEAKS FOUNDER IS ENDING A DECADE-LONG LEGAL SAGA WITH THE U.S., AND HEADING HOME.

TONIGHT, JULIAN ASSANGE'S BRIEF AND FINAL MOMENTS ON U.S.

SOIL, TO APPEAR IN PERHAPS THE U.S.' MOST REMOTE COURTHOUSE, ON THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.

HIS ROAD TO FREEDOM BEGAN THIS MORNING, ON THE WAY TO A BRITISH AIRPORT.

SIGNING HIS PLEA DEAL DOCUMENTS AND LANDING IN BANGKOK, HIS FIRST TIME OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 14 YEARS.

COURT DOCUMENTS REVEAL THAT ASSANGE WILL PLEAD GUILTY A SINGLE FELONY, TO RECEIVE AND OBTAIN DOCUMENTS, WRITINGS, AND NOTES CONNECTED WITH THE NATIONAL DEFENSE, INCLUDING SUCH MATERIALS CLASSIFIED UP TO THE SECRET LEVEL, AND WILLFULLY COMMUNICATE DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE.

HE WILL SPEND NO TIME IN U.S.

JAIL.

AND MORE THAN 62 MONTHS SPENT IN A BRITISH PRISON WILL COUNT FOR TIME SERVED, ALLOWING HIM TO RETURN TO HIS NATIVE AUSTRALIA, WHERE PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE TODAY CELEBRATED HIS RELEASE.

>> REGARDLESS OF THE VIEWS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT MR. ASSANGE'S ACTIVITIES, THE CASE HAS DRAGGED ON FOR TOO LONG.

THERE IS NOTHING TO BE GAINED BY HIS CONTINUED INCARCERATION AND WE WANT HIM BROUGHT HOME TO AUSTRALIA.

>> THE COURSE OF THE WAR NEEDS TO CHANGE.

NICK: NEARLY 15 YEARS AGO, JULIAN ASSANGE PRESENTED HIMSELF AS THE ULTIMATE TRUTH-TELLER, REVEALING WHAT HE CALLED THE REALITY OF THE WARS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.

>> COME ON, FIRE.

NICK: INCLUDING A 2007 U.S. MILITARY ATTACK IN BAGHDAD, THAT KILLED TWO REUTERS JOURNALISTS.

WIKILEAKS DROPPED 400,000 CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS, THAT THE PENTAGON SAID RISKED U.S. INFORMANTS' LIVES.

THEY WERE LEAKED BY U.S. ARMY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST CHELSEA MANNING, WHO WAS LATER CONVICTED UNDER THE ESPIONAGE ACT.

IN 2010, HE WAS ARRESTED BY BRITISH AUTHORITIES AFTER TWO SWEDISH WOMEN ACCUSED HIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, CHARGES LATER DROPPED.

AND AFTER FAILING TO MAKE BAIL, HE FLED INTO ECUADOR'S EMBASSY IN LONDON, WHERE HE REMAINED FOR SEVEN YEARS.

>> AS WIKILEAKS STANDS UNDER THREAT, SO DOES THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

>> WIKILEAKS HAS RELEASED APPEARED TO BE TRANSCRIPTS.

NICK: IN 2016, WIKILEAKS POSTED DOCUMENTS THAT RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE HAD HACKED FROM THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN.

CLINTON SAID IT HELPED LEAD TO HER DEFEAT.

>> HE HAS TO ANSWER FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE, AT LEAST WHAT'S BEEN CHARGED.

NICK: BY 2019, A U.S. GRAND JURY INDICTED ASSANGE ON 18 COUNTS INCLUDING ESPIONAGE, THE EMBASSY EVICTED HIM, AND BRITISH AUTHORITIES ARRESTED FOR BAIL VIOLATION.

A FREE SPEECH CRUSADER TO HIS ALLIES, A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY TO HIS CRITICS.

ASSANGE WILL NOW BE ABLE TO WRITE A NEW CHAPTER, IN AUSTRALIA, WITH HIS WIFE STELLA.

>> I'LL REALLY BELIEVE IT WHEN I HAVE HIM IN FRONT OF ME AND I CAN TAKE HIM AND HUG HIM AND THEN IT WILL BE REAL, YOU KNOW?

NICK: FOR MORE ON ASSANGE'S PLEA DEAL, WE GET TWO VIEWS.

JAMIL JAFFER IS THE FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY INSTITUTE AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY.

HE'S A FORMER HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL.

AND TREVOR TIMM, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS FOUNDATION, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN FREE SPEECH AND GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY.

THANK BOTH OF YOU.

SHOULD JULIAN ASSANGE HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW?

JAMIL: ABSOLUTELY.

JULIAN ASSANGE HAS LEAKED DOCUMENTS THAT PUT THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS' LIVES AT RISK.

HE'S PROBABLY GOTTEN A NUMBER OF OUR AFGHAN ALLIES KILLED.

HE DESERVED TO BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW AND DESERVED A LIFE SENTENCE IN JAIL FRANKLY.

TREVOR: ABSOLUTELY NOT AND HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THIS CASE HAS BEEN A TICKING TIME BOMB FOR PRESS FREEDOM IN THE U.S. FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

WHAT JULIAN ASSANGE IS ACCUSED OF AND WHAT HE PLED GUILTY TO HIS RECEIVING AND OBTAINING DOCUMENTS AND PUBLISHING THOSE DOCUMENTS THE GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS A SECRET.

THAT IS ACTIONS JOURNALISTS ENGAGE IN EVERY DAY.

NICK: WAS JULIAN ASSANGE A JOURNALIST AND DOING WHAT THE YOUR TIMES IN WASHINGTON POST DO EVERY DAY?

JAMIL: NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.

HE DOESN'T UPHOLD ANY TRADITIONAL ASPECT OF THE PRESS.

HE DOESN'T VET HIS SOURCES CAREFULLY.

HE DOESN'T PROTECT INNOCENCE INVOLVED.

ON THE CONTRARY HE JUST DUMPS DOCUMENTS OUT.

MANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY THE TALIBAN AND OTHERS AND KILLED.

THE IDEA THAT JULIAN ASSANGE IS SOME HERO FOR THE LITTLE GUY, HE IS NOT A JOURNALIST, HE HAS NEVER BEEN A JOURNALIST.

LET'S BE REAL, HONEST JOURNALISTS LIKE YOU DON'T CONSIDER HIM A JOURNALIST.

NICK: JULIAN ASSANGE POSTED DOCUMENTS THAT DID REVEAL THE NAMES OF AFGHANS AND IRAQIS WHO WERE HELD IN THE UNITED STATES - - HELPING THE UNITED STATES.

DOES THIS MAKE HIM NOT A JOURNALIST?

TREVOR: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHATEVER WE THINK.

WHAT MATTERS IS THE ACTS HE IS CHARGED UNDER.

THANKFULLY IN THIS COUNTRY THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT GET TO DECIDE WHO IS AND IS NOT A JOURNALIST.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROVIDES THAT RIGHT TO EVERYBODY.

AND WHAT THE ACTS THEY ARE SAYING THAT HE COMMITTED ARE TO RECEIVE AND OBTAIN DOCUMENTS AND PUBLISH THOSE DOCUMENTS PRETTY WHEN YOU READ THE PLEA DETAIL IT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT REDACTIONS.

YOU COULD TAKE THE MOST ETHICAL CAREFUL JOURNALIST IN THE WORLD WHO CHECKS THEIR SOURCES A MILLION TIMES, AND UNDER THE LETTER OF WHAT THIS PLEA DEAL SAYS, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT THINKS THEY CAN ALSO BE PROSECUTED FOR THE SAME THING.

NICK: LET ME HIGHLIGHT WHAT THE PLEA DEAL IS.

A FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN 2019 INDICTED ASSANGE ON 17 COUNTS OF ESPIONAGE AND ONE ON COMPUTER FRAUD.

TODAY'S PLEA DALE HAS HIM GUILTY OF ONE COUNT OF ESPIONAGE.

SO WHY AFTER A 12 YEAR LONG SAGA WITH THIS PLEA DALE VOCATION ON AS -- JAMIL: IT IS THE BIGGER CASE FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT COMPUTER FRAUD, PEOPLE GET CHARGED WITH THAT ALL THE TIME.

THE ESPIONAGE COUNT IS A CRITICAL ONE AND THE ONE JULIAN ASSANGE ADMITTED AND IS NOW PLED GUILTY TO.

IT IS NOT JUST RECEIVING AND PUBLISHING INFORMATION, IT IS CONSPIRING TO GET A PERSON WITH ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION TO REVEAL IT TO HIM.

THAT IS ILLEGAL AND IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL.

IT IS NOT ANYTHING ANY RESPONSIBLE JOURNALIST DOES.

THEY DON'T PROVOKE SOMEONE TO GIVE THEM CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.

THEY SIMPLY RECEIVE IT.

THAT IS NOT AT ALL WHAT JULIAN ASSANGE DID.

HE WENT OUT TO GET CLASSIFIED INFORMATION AND PUBLISH IT CAVALIERLY WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE LIVES OF THOSE INVOLVED.

NICK: WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF WHAT YOU ARE POINTING OUT, THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT COMPUTER FRAUD, AT LEAST THE AGREEMENT THAT ASSANGE HAS MADE TODAY?

TREVOR: I THINK IT IS NAIVE TO SAY JOURNALISTS JUST WAIT FOR DOCUMENTS TO MAGICALLY LAND IN THEIR LAP, AND THAT IS THE ONLY TIME IN WHICH THEY WILL PUBLISH THEM.

IF YOU ASK ANY NATIONAL SECURITY JOURNALIST, OF COURSE THEY ASK THEIR SOURCES FOR INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS AND FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, AND PROD THEM FOR ANYMORE DATA THEY CAN GET TO FIND OUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

A JOURNALIST AT THE NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, OR WALL STREET JOURNAL IS COMMITTING THIS QUOTE-UNQUOTE CONSPIRACY ON A WEEKLY OR DAILY BASIS.

THAT IS WHAT MAKES THESE CHARGES SO CONCERNING FOR PRESS FREEDOM ADVOCATES.

IT IS NOT JUST MY ORGANIZATION, IT IS LITERALLY EVERY PRESS FREEDOM ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY, IT IS EVERY CIVIL LIBERTY ORGANIZATION.

IT'S A TICKING TIME BOMB FOR JOURNALISTS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP WHERE WE HAVE ONE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TALKING OPENLY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL ABOUT PUTTING MORE JOURNALISTS IN JAIL.

AND SO, TO ME, THAT IS A VERY WORRYING PROSPECT FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.

NICK: LET ME ASK ABOUT SOME OF THE REPUBLICAN RESPONSES TO THIS PLEA DEAL, AND THIS SEEMS TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT A CLEAR IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE THAT ASSANGE HAS CREATED.

ONE HIS FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE WHO SAID THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S PLEA DEAL WITH ASSANGE IS A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE, AND DISHONORS THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AT THE SAME TIME OR FOR TENTATIVE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, QUOTE, JULIAN ASSANGE IS SET TO BE RELEASED AFTER BEING HELD FOR YEARS FOR THE CRIME OF COMMITTING JOURNALISM.

PRAISE GOD FOR SETTING HIM FREE.

WHAT DOES IT SAY THAT YOU HAVE THOSE TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED RESPONSES?

JAMIL: MIKE PENCE IS OBVIOUSLY RIGHT HERE.

JULIAN ASSANGE HAS NEVER BEEN A JOURNALIST.

HE HAS NEVER PURPORTED TO BE ONE FOR REAL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO REAL JOURNALIST HAS EVER BEEN PROSECUTED FOR THIS AND NO REAL JOURNALIST WOULD BE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T ACT THE WAY JULIAN ASSANGE DID.

NOT THE SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES, NONE OF THOSE THINGS.

NOT TO MENTION NOT PUTTING THE LIVES OF INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO HELPED THE U.S. AND OUR ALLIES OUT AT RISK.

TREVOR: WHAT YOU ARE LEAVING OUT TO SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE PAST 50 YEARS HAVE THREATENED JOURNALISTS AND ALMOST PROSECUTED THEM.

THE NEW YORK TIMES WAS THIS CLOSE TO BEING PROSECUTED FOR PUBLISHING THE PENTAGON PAPERS UNDER THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION.

DICK CHENEY WANTED TO CHARGE THE NEW YORK TIMES UNDER THE ESPIONAGE ACT.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS.

THE ONLY REASON IT HAS NOT GONE THROUGH IS BECAUSE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAD BEEN WORRIED ULTIMATELY THE LAW WOULD BE OVERTURNED AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

WHAT THEY FOUND WITH JULIAN ASSANGE IS AN UNPOPULAR AND POLARIZING FIGURE THAT JOURNALISTS WILL NOT DEFEND BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT LIKE HIM AND THAT IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.

BAD FACTS MAKE BAD LAW.

THAT IS WHY EVERYBODY WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT THIS CASE.

IF THERE WAS A PRECEDENT SET WITH JULIAN ASSANGE BECAUSE OF THE CHARGES IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS.

IT MEANS THEY CAN THEN TURN AROUND AND USE THAT ON THE NEW YORK TIMES OR WASHINGTON POST.

WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE COSMETIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEM.

NICK: JAMIL JAFFER, TREVOR TIMM.

THANKS TO YOU BOTH.

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