Journalists are in legal danger, too. The Obama Administration has, in
its practices, embraced the position that the leaking of classified
information to reporters is a problem properly addressed with the
Espionage Act. Bradley Manning was convicted under it even though the
government failed on a charge of aiding the enemy. Edward Snowden, the
N.S.A. leaker, has been charged with two violations of the Espionage Act,
for starters. Snowden’s leaks made a crucial discussion about the
N.S.A.’s overreach possible. President Obama said in a press conference
last week that he didn’t consider him a “patriot”; others have openly
called him a traitor. And the Administration has come close to calling
reporters who work with leakers members of spy rings.
-- Amy Davidson, "Michael Grunwald and the Assange Precedent" (New Yorker).