http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/peter-king-glenn-gr...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2013/06/...
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/would_ag_holder_...
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/eric-holder-says-he-...
Taken literally from the entire first page on Google:
https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=prosecute%20gree...
At least one sitting U.S. Congressman called for it, David Gregory threw it directly in Greenwald's face on Meet the Press, the question was even brought to the U.S. Attorney General.
Against that backdrop if someone calls these journalists "assistants" to Snowden, it really shouldn't be out of bounds to ask about it.
> albeit perhaps unintentionally
You've clearly said you do not believe the journalists have committed crimes, which means your calling them "assistants" to Snowden unintentionally perpetuates the innuendo that they were criminal collaborators.
The sincere respect is aimed at your influential role on this forum, which is the reason what you say ought to be challenged, not at the innuendo.
(Also FWIW I can't find an answer to the question of why you would call the Snowden journalists "his informal team of assistants.")
(His view that I called him a liar does not make it so.)
Why would you call them "his informal team of assistants?"