LOS ANGELES, CA—JUNE 16, 2023—A great American hero passed away today: Daniel Ellsberg, rightly lionized for leaking the Pentagon Papers exposing U.S. government lies during the Vietnam War.

In response, Mr. Kennedy said:

“Like many whistleblowers today, Ellsberg was initially persecuted. The government charged him with violation of the Espionage Act and other charges carrying a maximum total sentence of 115 years. When asked if he regretted his action, Ellsberg famously said, ‘How can I measure the jeopardy I'm in, to the penalty that has already been paid by 50,000 American families and hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese families?’

“The Nixon administration also used extrajudicial means to attack Ellsberg, directing the intelligence agencies to dig up dirt on him. The White House convened a squad called 'the Plumbers' to raid his psychiatrist's office, setting the stage for further dirty tricks in the 1972 campaign.

“When the illegal activities of the Plumbers were revealed, charges against Ellsberg were dismissed.

“In the last decade, other journalists and whistleblowers like Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Reality Winner, and many more have shown courage similar to Ellsberg. Their stories have not had such a happy ending. My administration will change that. Instead of prosecuting whistleblowers, my Department of Justice will investigate the crimes and corruption they reveal. That is one of the ways I will restore truth and transparency to the United States government.”

Learn more about Mr. Kennedy’s presidential campaign at Kennedy24.com.

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