Since the passage of the Espionage Act in 1917, the U.S. secrecy regime has expanded with no overall vision, limiting the press, restricting political dissidents, and keeping citizens in the dark.

A panel of legal experts and journalists will discuss the contemporary politics of the Espionage Act, including its use in the prosecution of former President Trump, the ongoing efforts to extradite Julian Assange to the United States, and the prospects for reforming the act to reduce the harms it poses to American democracy. They will also discuss the forthcoming book State of Silence: The Espionage Act and the Rise of America’s Secrecy Regime (Basic Books, November 2023), by Sam Lebovic. A reception will follow the panel.

Co-sponsored by the Knight First Amendment Institute and the Columbia Journalism School.