He’s facing civil repercussions. He, as a worker of the city, disseminated information to the press that reveals undercover police reports, witness names and testimonies, and various other sensitive information. That may not be illegal, but if he broke a contract or other agreement then it’s expected that he faces repercussions.

The city may be in the wrong for downplaying the severity, but he’s in the wrong for directly handing over the hacked information he has to journalists.