“May God have mercy on them, for they need expect none from an outraged people and an avenging government.” Those were the words from Attorney General Charles Gregory in November 1917, when Congress enacted the Espionage Act, the very act now being used to prosecute former president Donald Trump.
Many of us in the free speech community have long denounced the Espionage Act, which was passed to crackdown on political dissidents, particularly those opposed to World War I.
In a forthcoming book, I explore the checkered history of this Act where thousands were arrested for political speech. In an age of rage, the Espionage Act is the government's favorite weapon to use against its critics.
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