10 famous whistleblowers in US history
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Chelsea Manning
Whistleblowers are often figures of controversy, and Chelsea Manning exemplifies this more than any other figure in recent US history. In 2010, Manning, a US Army intelligence analyst, released the largest set of classified documents in US history, primarily published by WikiLeaks. The trove included documents describing detention, abuse, and torture of prisoners, and more. The leaks sparked a still-ongoing debate about the role of transparency, technology, and ethics in the US military.
Manning was convicted of violating the Espionage Act and sentenced to 35 years in prison, but was unexpectedly granted clemency by then-president Barack Obama during the final days of his administration.