The FBI, once regarded as a pillar of national security, has faced growing criticism over its controversial handling of key investigations, political bias, and attacks on press freedom.
Recent lawsuits and reports shed light on the Bureau’s long history of undermining journalists, activists, and political figures. From its prolonged scrutiny of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to its mishandling of the Trump-Russia investigation, the FBI's actions raise serious concerns about corruption, transparency, and its commitment to upholding democratic values.
This article will examine the FBI’s involvement in these cases and reveal how the Bureau's actions have impacted journalism and political discourse in the United States.
Defending Rights & Dissent Sues the FBI for WikiLeaks Files
On September 12, 2024, the civil liberties organization Defending Rights & Dissent (DRAD) filed a lawsuit against the FBI, seeking the release of files related to WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.
The lawsuit marks the latest development in the long-running legal battle between WikiLeaks and the U.S. government following the site’s explosive release of classified documents over the past decade. Despite multiple requests, the FBI has consistently refused to release information about its investigations into Assange and WikiLeaks, citing ongoing law enforcement actions.
DRAD’s legal efforts are part of a broader fight to defend press freedom and ensure that the FBI is held accountable for its attempts to criminalize journalism. According to Chip Gibbons, DRAD’s Policy Director, the organization has been pushing for transparency since the release of the 2010 “Collateral Murder” video, which exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq.
The video, published by WikiLeaks, showed U.S. soldiers shooting at unarmed civilians, sparking global outrage. This release led to the U.S. government’s aggressive response, including investigations, espionage charges, and extensive surveillance of Assange and his organization.
Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks' editor-in-chief, emphasized the importance of DRAD’s lawsuit in revealing the full extent of the FBI’s campaign against journalists. Hrafnsson noted that the U.S. government responded to WikiLeaks’ revelations not by addressing the misconduct but by criminalizing the journalists who exposed it.
DRAD’s lawsuit seeks to lift the secrecy surrounding the FBI’s investigations and uncover the lengths the Bureau has gone to suppress information crucial to public understanding.
The FBI’s Decades-Long Obsession with Gavin MacFadyen
Before WikiLeaks, the FBI had already established a troubling pattern of monitoring and harassing individuals it deemed politically undesirable. Gavin MacFadyen, a filmmaker, journalist, and later director of WikiLeaks, was one such individual.
For decades, the FBI kept a close watch on MacFadyen, viewing his political activism and connections to anti-nuclear and socialist groups as potential threats to national security. This surveillance began in the early 1960s, long before MacFadyen's involvement with WikiLeaks.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request revealed that the FBI had opened a Domestic Security file on MacFadyen, tracking his movements, personal correspondence, and associations.
MacFadyen’s involvement with the Committee of 100, a UK-based anti-nuclear organization known for its peaceful protests and acts of civil disobedience, spurred the FBI's investigation. Despite the group’s nonviolent nature, the FBI labeled them “extreme” and “militant,” illustrating the Bureau’s tendency to overstate threats posed by political activists.
The investigation into MacFadyen spanned decades, and the FBI obtained detailed records of his interactions and personal belongings, including his address book and letters, without any evidence of criminal activity.
The FBI’s actions reflected its role as a “political police” force, targeting individuals who opposed the government’s stance on key issues like nuclear policy. The surveillance of MacFadyen was part of a larger pattern in which the FBI targeted activists and journalists for exercising their First Amendment rights. This obsessive behavior shows that the Bureau was more concerned with political dissent than criminality.
Julian Assange, who worked closely with MacFadyen, later commented on the FBI’s investigation of his colleague, calling it “creepy” and reflective of the FBI’s long history of undermining political figures it disagreed with.
Assange likened the treatment of MacFadyen to the FBI’s notorious surveillance of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., where the Bureau tried to discredit him through secret recordings and misinformation.
WikiLeaks: Unmasking Government Secrets
Since its founding in 2006, WikiLeaks has become one of modern history's most influential and controversial whistleblowing platforms. Under Julian Assange's leadership, WikiLeaks published thousands of classified documents that exposed government wrongdoing and corruption on an unprecedented scale.
Some of WikiLeaks’ most significant releases include classified U.S. military documents from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the “Cablegate” leak of diplomatic communications, and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) email leaks during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
One of WikiLeaks' earliest breakthroughs came in 2007 when it published a U.S. Army manual detailing operations at Guantanamo Bay prison. The manual revealed that the U.S. had intentionally hidden certain detainees from the Red Cross, a violation of international law.
This leak was followed by the publication of over half a million-page messages sent during the 9/11 attacks, which revealed internal communications from government officials on that fateful day.
Perhaps WikiLeaks’ most infamous leak came in 2010 when it released classified video footage showing a U.S. military helicopter firing on civilians in Baghdad, killing several, including two Reuters journalists.
The video, later known as “Collateral Murder,” shocked the world and brought attention to the actual human cost of the Iraq War. It also triggered a fierce backlash from the U.S. government, which sought to prosecute both Assange and the whistleblower, Chelsea Manning, who had provided the documents.
WikiLeaks later released hundreds of thousands of documents from U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, exposing widespread civilian casualties, government corruption, and the true extent of foreign involvement in those conflicts.
The release of diplomatic cables between 2010 and 2011, dubbed “Cablegate,” further embarrassed the U.S. government, showing how American diplomats were involved in covert operations, political espionage, and backroom deals.
Despite the legal and political pressures, WikiLeaks continues to advocate for government transparency, even as Assange faces possible extradition to the United States on espionage charges.
Durham Report: FBI's Political Bias Unveiled
The FBI’s problems don’t end with its treatment of WikiLeaks and journalists. The 2023 release of the Durham Report shed light on the Bureau's handling of the Trump-Russia investigation, revealing a significant lack of rigor and evidence in its pursuit of alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives.
Special Counsel John Durham’s report was a damning critique of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation, accusing the Bureau of rushing into the case without proper verification.
The FBI’s reliance on the unvetted Steele dossier, which was funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign, only deepened suspicions that the investigation was politically motivated.
The dossier, filled with unverified claims, became the basis for government surveillance of Trump associates despite a lack of solid evidence. According to Durham, the FBI failed to remain impartial, highlighting a troubling pattern of bias in its investigations.
The findings of the Durham Report have bolstered claims from Trump and his supporters that the FBI was complicit in a political attack against him. For years, the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election clouded Trump’s presidency, and the media eagerly picked up the narrative.
In contrast, similar allegations against the Biden family have received minimal attention, raising concerns about media bias and the FBI’s double standards in handling political cases.
The FBI’s history of targeting journalists, activists, and political figures paints a troubling picture of an agency that has overstepped its role in maintaining law and order.
From its attacks on WikiLeaks and Gavin MacFadyen to its botched handling of the Trump-Russia investigation, the FBI’s actions reveal deep-seated problems of bias, corruption, and a disregard for transparency.
As more revelations come to light, the public’s trust in the FBI continues to erode, raising important questions about accountability and the role of law enforcement in a democratic society. The FBI must confront its legacy of political interference and work to rebuild the public’s trust or risk further undermining the very principles it was meant to protect.
Carl Riedel is an experienced writer and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) specialist, known for insightful articles that illuminate underreported issues. Passionate about free speech, he expertly transforms public data into compelling narratives, influencing public discourse.
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