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Daniel Hale explains his motives ahead of sentencing

Daniel Hale, formerly with the U.S. Air Force and then with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, blew the whistle on the United States’ drone assassination program, providing documentary evidence that the U.S. was killing civilians in Afghanistan whom it posthumously claimed were combatants. Hale will be sentenced tomorrow, July 27, in Alexandria, VA.

Charged with five counts under the Espionage Act and facing 50 years in prison, Hale plead guilty to one count under the Act with the hopes of a much lower sentence. The United States has requested 7-9 years in prison for Hale, which would be the longest-ever sentence for a federal whistleblower by far.

Unable to explain his motives in the trial phase, because the Espionage Act precludes any discussion of motivation, conflating whistleblowers with spies for foreign adversaries, Hale has written a letter to the judge for the sentencing phase of his proceedings. His honest, heartfelt letter, worth reading in full, concludes:





Jesselyn Radack, an attorney for Hale, and Noor Mir, part of Hale’s support team, were on Democracy Now! Today to discuss his case: