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Chelsea Manning's petition tops 100,000 signatures; White House must respond

Posted at 4:35 PM, Dec 11, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-11 19:23:00-05
The White House is now required to respond after a petition calling on calling on President Barack Obama to shorten Chelsea Manning’s prison sentence received more than 100,000 signatures.
 
As of Sunday afternoon, the petition – created on Nov. 14 -- received more than 106,000 signatures as of Sunday afternoon, surpassing its goal of 100,000, Time reports.
 
The White House has 60 days to officially respond to the petition.
 
Using a Twitter account that posts on her behalf, Manning expressed her gratitude for the petition.
 
I don't know what to say. I am just grateful that I am not forgotten. You've given me hope,” she wrote.
 
Manning is serving a 35-year sentence for leaking secret military and government documents to WikiLeaks. She was convicted in 2013 in military of leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents.
 
Formerly known as Bradley Manning, she later filed a transgender prisoner rights lawsuit.
 
Manning is asking that Obama reduce her sentence to time served, which is a little over six years currently. 
 
“Chelsea has already served more time in prison than any individual in the United States history who disclosed information in the public interest,” the petition said. “Her disclosures harmed no one.”