Standing up for what you believe in—especially when it’s hard—is something we should all admire. As the mother of decorated Air Force veteran and former National Security Agency translator, Reality Winner, I am proud to say it is a quality that my daughter embodies.
Reality is a good person who has, and would never, put anyone’s safety at risk. Any time she sees someone in danger, she feels compelled to act. That’s what led her to join the Air Force, where she served with distinction, and it’s what compelled her to bravely leak to the U.S. press that Russia had interfered in our 2016 presidential election.
That’s likely the reason you may remember her name, and why she is the subject of two major Hollywood productions—Reality starring Sydney Sweeney; Winner starring Emilia Jones, Connie Britton and Zach Galifinakis—as well as a documentary directed and produced by Sonia Kennebeck.
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A 25-year-old veteran who spent most of her time outside of work at CrossFit or rescuing stray dogs, my daughter was an unlikely criminal. And unlike others convicted of similar offences, she was prosecuted under the Espionage Act, in a very rare and highly politicized move which led to her receiving the harshest sentence of anyone whose leaked classified documents in U.S. history: five years in prison.
It is very rare that leakers are prosecuted, especially to the extent Reality has been; when they are, as many have suggested, it is politically motivated. It’s hard to argue otherwise in Reality’s case. Her actions put no one’s life at risk nor did they create leverage for any foreign enemy to the United States. The Justice Department was determined to make an example of her.
Clemency and pardons are well precedented for convicted leakers, meanwhile. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was fully pardoned for his role in leaking CIA officer Valerie Plame’s identity. Samuel L. Morison, a former U.S. Navy intelligence analyst, was pardoned by President Bill Clinton for charges related to espionage and unauthorized disclosure of classified information. And Chelsea Manning, the former United States Army soldier who was also charged under the Espionage Act after disclosing nearly 750,000 sensitive documents, had her 35-year prison sentence commuted by President Barack Obama shortly before he left office. (Reality, meanwhile, leaked one five-page document to a single media outlet.)
Reality has served her time and learned from her mistakes. She has said time and time again )" href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.thewrap.com/reality-winner-column-voting-democracy/__;!!LsXw!X6uUIehZdRBTULflcXxs3llo9FvNlgNZXWbssH3ZVLicra5imtbYkMPKT9EEXwQPWEhA9KeHHCYT18qMqOgs4BMLoSTXYgVT$" title="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.thewrap.com/reality-winner-column-voting-democracy/__;!!LsXw!X6uUIehZdRBTULflcXxs3llo9FvNlgNZXWbssH3ZVLicra5imtbYkMPKT9EEXwQPWEhA9KeHHCYT18qMqOgs4BMLoSTXYgVT$"> said time and time again that if she had known of different ways to serve her community, she would have chosen a different path. That’s why she has dedicated her platform to encouraging young people to participate in democracy without following in her footsteps. But the burden of having a felony on her record has kept her from moving forward. She is unable to pursue her career, make enough money to move out on her own, or to participate in the democracy she cares so deeply about in the most meaningful way—by voting. Reality simply wants to put this chapter behind her so she can get her life back, but the “f” on her record won’t allow her to build the life she desires.
As you know President Biden, this is all any parent wants for their child.
Not only do we share wanting the best for our children, I believe we also share a vision for America: One where democracy works as it is intended, where people can speak freely without being pulled into a political chess game, where punishments for crimes are decided fairly and those who deserve freedom are able to access it no matter who is in power.
President Biden, you are my daughter’s last best chance of being granted the freedom and the future she’s worked so hard for and rightly deserves. Please pardon her before it’s too late.
