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With the world closely watching the rapidly developing case of Julian Assange, RT sat down with American author Naomi Wolf to discuss why journalists are finding it increasingly difficult to publish data the US government doesn’t want them to.

Last month, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered Pentagon officials to keep a close eye on major US media outlets in an effort to prevent them from publishing government secrets. The order came after whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks made public thousands of classified documents belonging to the US and other countries.

The site’s founder, Julian Assange, is wanted in connection to a European arrest warrant and is holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. On Thursday, Ecuador granted him political asylum, but he still faces the challenge of actually reaching the country, as British authorities have made it clear that he will be arrested as soon as he steps out of the consulate.

While Assange is wanted for questioning in a sex crimes case in Sweden, recently-adopted US legislation is making citizens think twice before going to public protests to exercise their First Amendment rights, Naomi Wolf,  author of The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot, noted.

RT: Recently, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced an order to Pentagon officials to begin monitoring major news stations in the US to see if any media outlets are disclosing classified information. As a journalist and an American, what is your take? …

[RUSSIAN TIMES]

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