This week, a press release was issued (text after the jump) with details about a rally planned for March 20 in support of Pfc. Bradley Manning. Manning is being held on a Marine Corps base in Quantico, V.A. on charges that he’s responsible for turning over classified information to Wikileaks. He’s been held since July, and some have called into question his treatment while in custody, saying that Manning has been abused. State Department spokesperson P.J. Crowley resigned from his post last week over his criticism of the way Manning is being held.

Pfc. Bradley Manning. Photo: Associated Press

In a blog post on Monday, Susan Katz Keating,  a former Washington Times reporter, author, and blogger, accuses FitzGibbon Media of lying in the aforementioned release. FitzGibbon specializes in PR focused on issues like human rights and nuclear proliferation. Among the clients listed on the firm’s website are The National Campaign to Close Guantanamo, MoveOn, Pearl Jam, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

In a post titled “Bradley Manning P.R. Flak Admits Deliberate Lie; Refuses to Correct Deceptive Press Release,” she says Manning’s treatment is based on his threats of suicide, and provides what she says is a transcript of a conversation she had with FitzGibbons principal Naomi Seligman. You can read the post here.

We contacted Seligman for a response.

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Top State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley resigned on Sunday after criticizing the handling of Bradley Manning, the soldier likely to be courtmartialed if found guilty of passing classified information to Wikileaks.

In front of a tiny crowd last week at MIT’s Center for Future Civic Media, Crowley–full title United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs–called the Dept. of Defense’s treatment of Manning “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid.”   The DoD is holding Manning at Quantico, in a setting comparable to Supermax conditions, prompting some to express concerns of torture.  Manning’s lawyer suggests it’s payback for his client’s sarcastic remarks.

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