Who Is Reality Winner?
Once America gets past the part where we joke about her unusual name, the world will be tasked with finding out exactly who is Reality Leigh Winner?
Here’s what we could find.
On Monday, The Intercept reported on classified NSA information which suggests that Russian military intelligence attempted to hack at least one U.S. voting software supplier before the 2016 election ended. Winner is believed to be the federal contractor who leaked the NSA’s intel, and she is now facing major charges from the Justice Department. Winner faces 10 years in prison if convicted.
Winner’s mother Billie Winner-Davis spoke with The Daily Beast, saying that her daughter was “passionate about her views” even if she wasn’t a politically active person. Winner-Davis said that her daughter recently asked her to help relocate her pets, and that the Justice Department was vague when they informed Winner-Davis about the arrest.
“I don’t know who she might have sent [classified information] to,” said Winner-Davis. “[DOJ] were very vague. They said she mishandled and released documents that she shouldn’t have, but we had no idea what it pertained to or who.”
Winner’s mother also spoke with The Guardian’s Jon Swaine, saying her daughter used to work as a linguist for the Air Force.
Reality Winner, arrested for alleged classified leak, is a former US Air Force linguist who speaks Pashto, Farsi & Dari, her mother tells me pic.twitter.com/SQjt13wRw6
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) June 5, 2017
Various reporters have poured through Winner’s social media accounts, and it would seem that she does not like President Trump at all:
Reality Winner tweeted "have you ever met an Iranian?" at Donald Trump after he called them "SO DANGEROUS."https://t.co/8wM2sEQs1t pic.twitter.com/EtFZRDz9Ay
— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) June 5, 2017
Federal contractor arrested for leaking doesn't appear to be a Trump fan pic.twitter.com/iHirdAxBmt
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) June 5, 2017
Don’t think Reality Winner is a Trump fan. pic.twitter.com/u4tQNC0zCz
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) June 5, 2017
Well. People suck. #ElectionNight
— Sara Winners (@Reezlie) November 9, 2016
Much of Winner’s social media activity is devoted towards her pets, vegan food, working out, and her involvement with a yoga academy in Georgia.
A search warrant indicates that FBI agents found that Winner was one of six people who had access to the information released to The Intercept. The six individuals had their computers audited, and it revealed that Winner was the one who made contact.
As CNN’s Dana Bash reviewed the circumstances of the arrest, she said that Winner possibly showed “naïveté” for sending out the information through traceable email.
You can watch CNN’s report above.
[Image via screengrab]
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