Crackdown On A Free Press Is A Symptom Of Fascism-- And Brazil Has Just Filed A Criminal Complaint Against Glenn Greenwald For Exposing Government Corruption

Roland is always suggesting countries with shady right-wing governments as place for us to visit, like Egypt (Abdel el-Sisi), Poland (Mateusz Morawiecki), China (Xi Jinping), Brazil (Jair Bolsonaro), Austria (Brigitte Bierlein), Hungary (Viktor Orbбn,)... and I always explain I don't want to go to fascist-ruled countries. Still... here I am living in Trumpland. But we haven't gone to Brazil, one of the ones on my bucket list and where I have lots of relatives. A good example of why came Tuesday when the Brazilian government filed criminal charges against an old friend, Glenn Greenwald, who lives there now. Glenn, an attorney, civil libertarian, author and journalist, as well as the co-founder of The Intercept has exposed widespread misconduct and corruption among Brazilian prosecutors and a former judge. This is one of several tweets sent out by Ro Khanna (D-CA) today.

Progressive congressional candidates were quick to defend freedom of the press in this regard as well. Iowa's J.D. Scholten understood exactly how far right authoritarians target the press-- primarily because he's running against one of them. "Steve King," he said, "routinely rails against the press, discrediting their accurate work, and demanding apologies for his own actions. His words and his actions have deep ramifications-- they work to undermine the freedom of the press and encourage violence against journalists here at home and around the world. He believes the press should be beholden to him, but that’s wrong. The press has an incredibly important job to shine a light on our public officials (whether it’s flattering or not), inform our citizens, and keep us safe. An attack on the press is an attack on all of us and our Constitution, which King claims to care deeply about. I support our journalists here and abroad, especially those like Glenn who put their lives on the line for the truth, and will always stand up for the freedom of the press."

Mike Siegel, a Texas attorney who is best known for his epic battles against right-wing Texas government officials on behalf of the city of Austin wrote this morning that "We must condemn the Brazilian government’s attack on journalist Glenn Greenwald, which is an attack on democracy itself. We need press freedom to shine a light on government corruption, at home and abroad. I’m ashamed that my Republican opponent, Rep. McCaul, has supported Bolsonaro’s push towards fascism. We must do everything we can to protect civil society in Brazil, and to stop authoritarian regimes whenever they arise."

Tom Winter, a state legislator in Montana, running for Congress now, explained to voters in his state that "Freedom of the press isn't optional-- it's in the First Amendment. I'm running to replace a Congressman that would rather body slam a journalist than answer his questions. This should not be a partisan issue. What's happening in Brazil is troubling, anything less than our government's full support for Mr. Greenwald's rights is shirking our oaths to defend the Constitution. We can not allow a vacuum of leadership to embolden further attacks on our free press, at home and abroad."

Eva Putzova, and immigrant to Arizona from Eastern Europe, which has seen its share of tyrannical rule, said "I am appalled at the Bolsonaro government’s attempt to silence Glenn Geeenwald by filing a criminal complaint against him for his reporting in government corruption. This is a threat to freedom of the press everywhere. Bolsonaro is an ally of Trump so this effort to bully a reporter shouldn’t surprise anyone. All members of Congress should stand with Greenwald and the freedom of the press. Period."

No one doubts that this is an assault on both journalism and free speech. A friend of mine asked that we remember the quote attributed to Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" and asserted, correctly that there is no chance that it is virtually impossible that the Brazilian government would have moved this way against an American citizen without first clearing it with the Trump regime.

Michael Franken, a retired admiral running for the Iowa Senate seat occupied by Trump puppet Joni Ernst noted that it is "strange that President Bolsonaro would investigate, try, convict, and sentence a U.S. citizen with his statement, 'may do jail time.' May as well toss a dead goat down the well of jurisprudence."

Mark Gamba, the mayor of Milwaukie, Oregon, is running for Congress now. He told us, "A free and independent press dedicated to informing the public with in-depth factual reporting is the third leg that democracy stands on. Without it democracy is doomed. Ronald Regan began the process of the erosion of this critical institution when he vetoed a bill that protected it from a bad FCC decision. As a former photojournalist for National Geographic I have a deep and abiding belief that the institution of journalism must be protected at all costs and the journalists themselves allowed to do their jobs without fear of prosecution. As a congressman I will work to restore journalism to its former glory and thereby forestall our continuing slide into dysfunctional polarization."