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Why was Reality Winner jailed? NSA contractor released from prison after 5 years

One Twitter user said, 'Reality Winner will never be free without intervention from this administration'

Reality Winner, a former National Security Agency contractor who was sentenced for more than five years for leaking a classified document on Russian interference in the 2016 election, has been released, according to her attorney.

“I am thrilled to announce that Reality Winner has been released from prison,” attorney Allison Grinter Allen posted on Twitter. “She is still in custody in the residential reentry process, but we are relieved and hopeful. Her release is not a product of the pardon or compassionate release process, but rather the time earned from exemplary behavior while incarcerated,” the lawyer said. "Reality and her family have asked for privacy during the transition process as they work to heal the trauma of incarceration and build back the years lost. Reality is still barred from any public statements or appearances, and any inquires can be handled through my office."

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In an email to The Verge, Grinter wrote that Winner would continue to seek a pardon. “The Residential Reentry center is in charge right now and will manage her transition, but we are definitely still seeking commutation and pardon,” she said. “The fight continues and I’ll still be taking meetings in Washington to press forward the case for commutation and pardon, but the family will be stepping back to concentrate on Reality and her health and healing. She became an aunt while she was behind bars, and she is going to spend as much time as she can bonding and tickling little feet as she adjusts to life in the world.”

Why was Reality Winner jailed?

Reality Winner, who was sentenced in 2018 for five years, received the longest punishment that anyone has ever received for the federal crime of leaking classified data to the press. Critics say that the Trump-era Justice Department sought to make an example out of Winner, who was 25 at the time and had no criminal record. She is the first person the Trump administration charged under the Espionage Act for a document leak. The Justice Department did not pursue the maximum sentence and instead recommended a 63-month penalty. Government attorneys said that would be the longest sentence ever for an unauthorized disclosure to the media.

According to the prosecutors, in May 2017, Winner, who was working for the defense contractor Pluribus International Corporation, printed a classified document that showed how Russian military intelligence hacked at least one voting software supplier and had attempted to breach more than 100 local election systems in the days before the November 2016 vote. That document was the basis of a story published on the news site the Intercept about one hour before the Justice Department announced Winner’s arrest in June 2017

In 2018, Winner said during one of her court appearances that she is responsible for “an undeniable mistake that I made”. She apologized for the leak and said: “My actions were a cruel betrayal of my nation’s trust in me.” In June 2018 she pleaded guilty to one felony count of transmitting national security information, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. After the sentencing, the Justice Department stated that Winner had abused her government job to reveal sources and intelligence gathering methods. “This defendant used her position of trust to steal and divulge closely guarded intelligence information,” US attorney Bobby Christine said in a statement. “Her betrayal of the United States put at risk sources and methods of intelligence gathering, thereby offering advantage to our adversaries.”

Winner’s attorneys challenged the lengthy recommended sentence in a 2018 court filing. “Despite her singular criminal act, as set forth below, the stipulated sentence of 63 months is in excess of many prior Espionage Act cases where the government has prosecuted ‘leakers’ of national defense information, including cases where the factual conduct, and information leaked, was arguably worse,” attorneys wrote.

As soon as the news of Winner's release came to light, people started reacting to it. One Twitter handle tweeted, "Reality Winner has been released from prison to a halfway house. Albeit 4 years overdue this is wonderful news and we wish Reality and her family unbridled health, healing, and happiness." While another one said, "Reality Winner will never be free without intervention from this administration. She has suffered beyond measure and her political persecution will follower her wherever she goes. It’s long past time for @JoeBiden to do the right thing and #PardonRealityWinner"

Another person said, "#RealityWinner has been released from Prison. This is not because of a Pardon or Clemency, but a product of time served & “exemplary behavior.” There is still work to be done. Let’s celebrate her release, and wish her the best in the future. #RealityWinnerReleased Pass it on." While one thanked Biden and said, "Thank you @POTUS, AG Garland, and everyone else who helped with this incredible news. #RealityWinner"