State Department Spox Claims Publications of WikiLeaks and Assange Harmed Numerous People But Can’t Provide Any Examples

MILLER We were happy ░░░░░░░░ work with our Australian ░░░░░░░░ on it and that ░░░░░░░░ the case I do ░░░░░░░░ it is important when ░░░░░░░░ talk about Julian Assange ░░░░░░░░ remind the world that ░░░░░░░░ actions for which he ░░░░░░░░ indicted and for which ░░░░░░░░ has now pled guilty ░░░░░░░░ actions that put the ░░░░░░░░ of our partners our ░░░░░░░░ and our diplomats at ░░░░░░░░ especially those who work ░░░░░░░░ dangerous places like Afghanistan ░░░░░░░░ Iraq This was some ░░░░░░░░ ago now almost 15 ░░░░░░░░ ago so I think ░░░░░░░░ world has forgotten much ░░░░░░░░ it but if you ░░░░░░░░ when Wikileaks first disseminated ░░░░░░░░ published State Department documents ░░░░░░░░ Department cables they did ░░░░░░░░ without redacting names they ░░░░░░░░ threw them out there ░░░░░░░░ the world to see ░░░░░░░░ so the documents they ░░░░░░░░ gave identifying information of ░░░░░░░░ who were in contact ░░░░░░░░ the State Department That ░░░░░░░░ opposition leaders human rights ░░░░░░░░ around the world whose ░░░░░░░░ were put in some ░░░░░░░░ because of their public ░░░░░░░░ It also chilled the ░░░░░░░░ of American personnel to ░░░░░░░░ relationships and have Frank ░░░░░░░░ with them And at ░░░░░░░░ time those of you ░░░░░░░░ covered the State Department ░░░░░░░░ the time will probably ░░░░░░░░ that in the days ░░░░░░░░ up to that release ░░░░░░░░ State Department really had ░░░░░░░░ scramble to get people ░░░░░░░░ of danger to move ░░░░░░░░ out of harm s ░░░░░░░░ It was an extraordinary ░░░░░░░░ performed by dozens of ░░░░░░░░ officials around the world ░░░░░░░░ that doesn t change ░░░░░░░░ danger that those actions ░░░░░░░░ innocent people all around ░░░░░░░░ world in through no ░░░░░░░░ of their own And ░░░░░░░░ s of course not ░░░░░░░░ to mention the further ░░░░░░░░ by Wikileaks down the ░░░░░░░░ to essentially serve as ░░░░░░░░ conduit for Russian intelligence ░░░░░░░░ in a U S ░░░░░░░░ election Reporter Can I ░░░░░░░░ up on that Reporter ░░░░░░░░ Matt so I actually ░░░░░░░░ cover the State Department ░░░░░░░░ then And I don ░░░░░░░░ remember there being any ░░░░░░░░ there was a public ░░░░░░░░ that was raised about ░░░░░░░░ potential security risks posed ░░░░░░░░ sources who might have ░░░░░░░░ quoted Was there actually ░░░░░░░░ Did you ever discover ░░░░░░░░ who was injured killed ░░░░░░░░ to go into hiding ░░░░░░░░ of them MILLER So ░░░░░░░░ few things about that ░░░░░░░░ I can t give ░░░░░░░░ a definitive answer only ░░░░░░░░ I wasn t here ░░░░░░░░ the time and so ░░░░░░░░ time and so Reporter ░░░░░░░░ but you said crosstalk ░░░░░░░░ Hold on so hold ░░░░░░░░ no but but Matt ░░░░░░░░ me finish I have ░░░░░░░░ full answer on it ░░░░░░░░ I can t speak ░░░░░░░░ that because it was ░░░░░░░░ years ago and I ░░░░░░░░ t have a full ░░░░░░░░ of what happened But ░░░░░░░░ two the State Department ░░░░░░░░ an extraordinary amount of ░░░░░░░░ when we found out ░░░░░░░░ these cables were going ░░░░░░░░ be published to get ░░░░░░░░ out of harm s ░░░░░░░░ to go around and ░░░░░░░░ at what might become ░░░░░░░░ and take action so ░░░░░░░░ that would be put ░░░░░░░░ danger would be put ░░░░░░░░ of harm s way ░░░░░░░░ third if you drive ░░░░░░░░ down the street and ░░░░░░░░ pulled over for drunk ░░░░░░░░ the fact that you ░░░░░░░░ t crash into another ░░░░░░░░ and kill someone doesn ░░░░░░░░ get you out of ░░░░░░░░ reckless actions and the ░░░░░░░░ that you put your ░░░░░░░░ citizens in And it ░░░░░░░░ the same thing same ░░░░░░░░ applies here Reporter Right ░░░░░░░░ I and I don ░░░░░░░░ think that it does ░░░░░░░░ the fact of the ░░░░░░░░ is that the State ░░░░░░░░ has been at least ░░░░░░░░ far as I know ░░░░░░░░ maybe I m wrong ░░░░░░░░ has been has never ░░░░░░░░ able to point to ░░░░░░░░ who was compromised or ░░░░░░░░ or put at risk ░░░░░░░░ of this MILLER Their ░░░░░░░░ were compromised Reporter Well ░░░░░░░░ The State Department went ░░░░░░░░ great work to get ░░░░░░░░ out of harm s ░░░░░░░░ to prevent that very ░░░░░░░░ from happening Reporter Do ░░░░░░░░ know what do you ░░░░░░░░ how many people about ░░░░░░░░ As I said this ░░░░░░░░ some time ago I ░░░░░░░░ in the government at ░░░░░░░░ time not at the ░░░░░░░░ Department and I d ░░░░░░░░ to go back and ░░░░░░░░ at it But I ░░░░░░░░ know there was work ░░░░░░░░ the world especially in ░░░░░░░░ like Afghanistan Iraq and ░░░░░░░░ places around the world ░░░░░░░░ they did have to ░░░░░░░░ a great amount of ░░░░░░░░ to kind of move ░░░░░░░░ out of harm s ░░░░░░░░ Reporter Well one of ░░░░░░░░ predecessors PJ Crowley went ░░░░░░░░ who was the standing ░░░░░░░░ the podium at the ░░░░░░░░ went to great pains ░░░░░░░░ talk about the potential ░░░░░░░░ that could or would ░░░░░░░░ caused by these revelations ░░░░░░░░ I unless I missed ░░░░░░░░ I didn t hear ░░░░░░░░ there was any MILLER ░░░░░░░░ I said number one ░░░░░░░░ department went to a ░░░░░░░░ amount of effort to ░░░░░░░░ people being put in ░░░░░░░░ s way But it ░░░░░░░░ t absolve anyone of ░░░░░░░░ Reporter I m saying ░░░░░░░░ I know but it ░░░░░░░░ Reporter I m not ░░░░░░░░ MILLER But I know ░░░░░░░░ re not but it ░░░░░░░░ an important point Just ░░░░░░░░ people were able to ░░░░░░░░ the harm done by ░░░░░░░░ actions that doesn t ░░░░░░░░ you of your actions ░░░░░░░░ the first place Reporter ░░░░░░░░ MILLER Shannon go ahead ░░░░░░░░ Oh I m sorry ░░░░░░░░ Oh yeah Reporter Just ░░░░░░░░ other thing you said ░░░░░░░░ said there was some ░░░░░░░░ coordination between the U ░░░░░░░░ and Australia over the ░░░░░░░░ couple of days Was ░░░░░░░░ involving the flight or ░░░░░░░░ Just with it was ░░░░░░░░ relation to his landing ░░░░░░░░ transfer in Australia yeah ░░░░░░░░ Can I ask you ░░░░░░░░ follow up It said ░░░░░░░░ the agreement MILLER Sure ░░░░░░░░ that Mr Assange would ░░░░░░░░ be able to enter ░░░░░░░░ United States without permission ░░░░░░░░ will he be seeking ░░░░░░░░ from Who would grant ░░░░░░░░ permission and how would ░░░░░░░░ happen if that were ░░░░░░░░ occur MILLER It would ░░░░░░░░ I m not going ░░░░░░░░ speak to provisions in ░░░░░░░░ was a Justice Department ░░░░░░░░ agreement But that would ░░░░░░░░ handled as is the ░░░░░░░░ for anyone seeking permission ░░░░░░░░ enter the United States ░░░░░░░░ And in the judgment ░░░░░░░░ sentencing part of the ░░░░░░░░ the judge noted that ░░░░░░░░ were no victims of ░░░░░░░░ Assange s behavior which ░░░░░░░░ part of the reason ░░░░░░░░ the sentence was what ░░░░░░░░ was Do you disagree ░░░░░░░░ that Do you think ░░░░░░░░ were victims of his ░░░░░░░░ MILLER I m not ░░░░░░░░ to speak to a ░░░░░░░░ made by a judge ░░░░░░░░ a ruling It would ░░░░░░░░ be appropriate for me ░░░░░░░░ do so But I ░░░░░░░░ by the comments I ░░░░░░░░ just a moment ago ░░░░░░░░ What MILLER Hm Reporter ░░░░░░░░ do you mean you ░░░░░░░░ not going to speak ░░░░░░░░ a comment made by ░░░░░░░░ judge I mean if ░░░░░░░░ if he I don ░░░░░░░░ know that he did ░░░░░░░░ that s exactly the ░░░░░░░░ of my question MILLER ░░░░░░░░ I m not I ░░░░░░░░ Reporter Questions earlier Which ░░░░░░░░ that the State Department ░░░░░░░░ never come up even ░░░░░░░░ it was one of ░░░░░░░░ prime quote unquote victims ░░░░░░░░ these leaks was never ░░░░░░░░ to identify anyone who ░░░░░░░░ under who was killed ░░░░░░░░ came under came under ░░░░░░░░ MILLER I think the ░░░░░░░░ think the point I ░░░░░░░░ a moment ago is ░░░░░░░░ appropriate response to that ░░░░░░░░ is just because the ░░░░░░░░ Department was able to ░░░░░░░░ actions to keep people ░░░░░░░░ of harm s way ░░░░░░░░ that he put in ░░░░░░░░ s way doesn t ░░░░░░░░ responsibility Reporter Okay So ░░░░░░░░ us what actions what ░░░░░░░░ did the State Department ░░░░░░░░ MILLER They were able ░░░░░░░░ State Department at the ░░░░░░░░ was able to reach ░░░░░░░░ to individuals whose names ░░░░░░░░ going to be Reporter ░░░░░░░░ many MILLER I can ░░░░░░░░ tell you that It ░░░░░░░░ almost 15 years ago ░░░░░░░░ I wasn t here ░░░░░░░░ Well I know But ░░░░░░░░ mean MILLER But I ░░░░░░░░ I know but I ░░░░░░░░ Reporter The case has ░░░░░░░░ come to a close ░░░░░░░░ would think someone with ░░░░░░░░ MILLER But I I ░░░░░░░░ give you a full ░░░░░░░░ of something that happened ░░░░░░░░ 15 years ago But ░░░░░░░░ that were here will ░░░░░░░░ you that the State ░░░░░░░░ went to great lengths ░░░░░░░░ reach out to people ░░░░░░░░ identities were exposed and ░░░░░░░░ them out of harm ░░░░░░░░ way And the other ░░░░░░░░ I made is that ░░░░░░░░ does when something like ░░░░░░░░ happens it does chill ░░░░░░░░ ability of American personnel ░░░░░░░░ build relationships with people ░░░░░░░░ count on Reporter No ░░░░░░░░ MILLER count on the ░░░░░░░░ that the information they ░░░░░░░░ us will be held ░░░░░░░░ Reporter No doubt MILLER ░░░░░░░░ it is not just ░░░░░░░░ harm to or potential ░░░░░░░░ to the safety and ░░░░░░░░ of those individuals It ░░░░░░░░ a harm to American ░░░░░░░░ Reporter No doubt But ░░░░░░░░ fact of the matter ░░░░░░░░ that you have not ░░░░░░░░ ever been able to ░░░░░░░░ anything tangible about any ░░░░░░░░ negative effect MILLER That ░░░░░░░░ a different I think ░░░░░░░░ just did point to ░░░░░░░░ tangible negative effect when ░░░░░░░░ had when people are ░░░░░░░░ willing to trust the ░░░░░░░░ States Government to keep ░░░░░░░░ secret Reporter Okay Well ░░░░░░░░ me an example of ░░░░░░░░ Who was willing to ░░░░░░░░ crosstalk MILLER It was ░░░░░░░░ so I was in ░░░░░░░░ was in government at ░░░░░░░░ time and I can ░░░░░░░░ you traveling the world ░░░░░░░░ a different Reporter Okay ░░░░░░░░ MILLER a different agency ░░░░░░░░ often heard from foreign ░░░░░░░░ that they were I ░░░░░░░░ obviously not going to ░░░░░░░░ to Reporter So who ░░░░░░░░ I m not going ░░░░░░░░ speak to the exact ░░░░░░░░ But we often heard ░░░░░░░░ foreign counterparts that they ░░░░░░░░ worried about providing information ░░░░░░░░ the United States Government ░░░░░░░░ of our ability to ░░░░░░░░ it to a secret ░░░░░░░░ Okay Well I remember ░░░░░░░░ one having been here ░░░░░░░░ the time And I ░░░░░░░░ that Berlusconi told former ░░░░░░░░ Clinton that he was ░░░░░░░░ mainly because of what ░░░░░░░░ Wikileaks what the cables ░░░░░░░░ about his activities in ░░░░░░░░ Activities There were Reporter ░░░░░░░░ lifestyle MILLER Yeah There ░░░░░░░░ more Reporter Yes MILLER ░░░░░░░░ were more substantive and ░░░░░░░░ concerns yeah Reporter But ░░░░░░░░ there Okay MILLER Yeah ░░░░░░░░ The race Reporter Can ░░░░░░░░ can you name a ░░░░░░░░ I m Reporter Not ░░░░░░░░ person but a country ░░░░░░░░ So I think you ░░░░░░░░ see why if the ░░░░░░░░ of the conversation is ░░░░░░░░ raising concerns about private ░░░░░░░░ being made public it ░░░░░░░░ t be helpful for ░░░░░░░░ to then make those ░░░░░░░░ conversations public in response ░░░░░░░░ a question at this ░░░░░░░░ Reporter Well you just ░░░░░░░░ it was 15 years ░░░░░░░░ MILLER Yeah Reporter I ░░░░░░░░ drop it MILLER Laughter ░░░░░░░░ ahead Alex Reporter Thank ░░░░░░░░ Matt.”