Whistleblower Reality Winner, who informed the US about Russian attacks on states' election computer systems, accepted a plea bargain for 5 years in prison.

Treating whistleblowers as spies is fundamentally wrong. In effect, it declares the American people to be the enemy of the US government. If that's how things are, I choose the people's side.

To ensure that taking the public's side is not allowed in court, the Espionage Act explicitly forbids the defendant to argue that blowing the whistle was a service to the public, even if it was.