Press freedom: Trump, Biden must be stronger
Even though election coverage seems nonstop, not enough attention has been paid to something at the heart of our democracy: freedom of the press.
The most crucial case in decades is going on right now. The Trump administration indicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. He faces up to 175 years in prison for award-winning journalism that exposed war crimes and helped change public debate around the world.
The case against Assange is flimsy and relies on dangerous legal theories that would cripple investigative journalism.
Neither Trump nor Biden has given any indication that he will defend press freedom. We should always know where candidates stand on the First Amendment.
Trump should stop trying to extradite Assange, or better yet, pardon him. Biden should go on record calling for an end to the case. The press and public need to step up the pressure and hold politicians accountable.
Christine Susan White, Puyallup
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 10:05 AM with the headline "Press freedom: Trump, Biden must be stronger."