Like Snowden and Manning, Ellsberg was charged under the Espionage Act for leaking the papers. But the 12 felony counts against were dismissed in 1973 on grounds of gross governmental misconduct in the case.

According to Slate.com, whistleblowers like Ellsberg are being punished more than ever under the Obama administration. While running as a candidate in 2008, Barack Obama said whistleblowers perform „acts of courage and patriotism.“ But according to Slate, his administration has gone on to charge eight people under the Espionage Act, more than double all previous presidents combined.