Trump offered to pardon Assange if he cooperated over email leak, UK court hears

[webfact]

Trump offered to pardon Assange if he cooperated over email leak, UK court hears

 

WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange leaves Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Britain January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/Files

 

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump offered to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if he said that Russia had nothing to do with WikiLeaks' publication of Democratic Party emails in 2016, a London court heard on Wednesday.

 

Assange appeared by videolink from prison as lawyers discussed the management of his hearing next week to decide whether he should be extradited to the United States.

 

At Westminster Magistrates' Court, Assange's barrister, Edward Fitzgerald, referred to a witness statement by former U.S. Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher who had visited Assange in 2017, saying that he had been sent by the president to offer a pardon.

 

The pardon would come on the condition that Assange complied with the United States by saying that the Russians were not involved in the email leak that damaged Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016, Rohrabacher's statement said.

 

A White House spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, denied the assertion.

 

"The president barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he’s an ex-congressman. He’s never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject. It is a complete fabrication and a total lie," she said.

 

Assange, 48, who spent seven years holed up in Ecuador's London embassy before he was dragged out last April, is wanted in the United States to face 18 counts including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. He could spend decades behind bars if convicted there.

 

Almost a decade after his WikiLeaks website enraged Washington by leaking secret U.S. documents, Woolwich Crown Court in London will begin hearings on Monday - with Assange present - to decide whether he should be sent to the United States.

 

At Wednesday's hearing, Assange spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. He appeared relaxed and spent much of the hearing reading notes in his lap. He wore two pairs of glasses: one on top of his head and another which he took on and off and twiddled in his hands.

 

The Australian-born Assange made global headlines in early 2010 when WikiLeaks published a classified U.S. military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters news staff.

 

WikiLeaks later angered the United States by publishing caches of leaked military documents and diplomatic cables.

 

The full extradition hearing will be split in two parts, with the second half delayed until May.

 

(Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft in London and Steve Holland in Washington; Editing by Stephen Addison/Mark Heinrich)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-20

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[PatOngo]

One step in the right direction Donald, I take back some of the vile and nasty things I said about you behind your back!

[TopDeadSenter]

41 minutes ago, simple1 said:

trump exposed for attempted corruption again, again in an effort to cover up Russian interference in 2016 elections.

Easy to miss it, but the Russia collusion hoax collapsed last year, just before the Ukraine hoax kicked off. Seeing as he is still the President, it is up to Trump what he does with Assange, but this is no excuse to dredge up what turned out to be a hoax and witch hunt and present it as fact.

 

Mueller finds no collusion with Russia

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2019/03/mueller-concludes-investigation/

[ezzra]

 

 

 

 

Strange that Trump is will so quickly to pardon Assange and not Jonathan Jay Pollard, a former intelligence analyst, who spied for Israel and has completed his jail term as a part of plea bargaining, and yet Obama and Trump, a staunch supporter if Israel refuses to let him leave the US to go live in Israel...

[WalkingOrders]

Tell me more. I can't wait, but somehow I expect no more will come.

 

But let's not forget who is really mad. The democrat party who were exposed, and embarassed, and continue to be exposed and embarassed.

[Sujo]

Ahh donald, the most disgraced lying impeached president in history.

[WalkingOrders]

7 minutes ago, ezzra said:

 

 

 

 

Strange that Trump is will so quickly to pardon Assange and not Jonathan Jay Pollard, a former intelligence analyst, who spied for Israel and has completed his jail term as a part of plea bargaining, and yet Obama and Trump, a staunch supporter if Israel refuses to let him leave the US to go live in Israel...

Pollard spied. Assange did not. Although I am not giving credence to the pardon story, one way or another who knows.

[simple1]

12 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Easy to miss it, but the Russia collusion hoax collapsed last year, just before the Ukraine hoax kicked off. Seeing as he is still the President, it is up to Trump what he does with Assange, but this is no excuse to dredge up what turned out to be a hoax and witch hunt and present it as fact.

 

Mueller finds no collusion with Russia

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2019/03/mueller-concludes-investigation/

Surprise, surprise an echo chamber for trump propaganda machine. Not talking about collusion, but trump and associates repeated attempts to interfere with judicial process, bribes etc How many trump associates were convicted as an outcome of the Muller investigation? trump is clean - LOL

Edited February 19, 2020 by simple1

[WalkingOrders]

1 minute ago, Sujo said:

Ahh donald, the most disgraced lying impeached president in history.

The most acquitted and found Not Guilty President in the history of the USA. Soon to be re-elected.

[LomSak27]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"The president barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he’s an ex-congressman. He’s never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject. It is a complete fabrication and a total lie," she said.

Looks like it is the TRUTH then .  

[Tug]

34 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Easy to miss it, but the Russia collusion hoax collapsed last year, just before the Ukraine hoax kicked off. Seeing as he is still the President, it is up to Trump what he does with Assange, but this is no excuse to dredge up what turned out to be a hoax and witch hunt and present it as fact.

 

Mueller finds no collusion with Russia

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2019/03/mueller-concludes-investigation/

You are always good for a chuckle they found lots and lots of welcoming foreign interference in our election on the part of trump  no amount of you or trump saying hoax will change the facts the only reason trump isent on charges is becaus he is potus and has a corrupt ag it’s not at all surprising he is soliciting help in trying to hid facts not surprising in the least and one other point we rember we won’t forget come November both the senate and president will change

[legend49]

56 minutes ago, ezzra said:

 

 

 

 

Strange that Trump is will so quickly to pardon Assange and not Jonathan Jay Pollard, a former intelligence analyst, who spied for Israel and has completed his jail term as a part of plea bargaining, and yet Obama and Trump, a staunch supporter if Israel refuses to let him leave the US to go live in Israel...

Assange is not stupid re being pardoned. He knows POTUS lies every time he opens his mouth.

[luckyluke]

40 minutes ago, WalkingOrders said:

The most acquitted and found Not Guilty President in the history of the USA. Soon to be re-elected.

For an innocent man the experience to be falsely accused must be  traumatic. 

 

For a guilty man being acquited must be an incredible ego boost. 

 

 

 

 

[TheFishman1]

I believe Trump is capably of this and misdirects every thing he is a total a joke and the whole world is laughing at him

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

trump exposed for attempted corruption again, again in an effort to cover up Russian interference in 2016 elections. trump is unfit to represent the Office of the President of the USA.

Hell still be returned for a second term in November no matter what they throw at him ????

[Boon Mee]

Sounds like more Fake News like Bill Barr is going to quit because of Trump's tweets. 

[WalkingOrders]

56 minutes ago, Tug said:

You are always good for a chuckle they found lots and lots of welcoming foreign interference in our election on the part of trump  no amount of you or trump saying hoax will change the facts the only reason trump isent on charges is becaus he is potus and has a corrupt ag it’s not at all surprising he is soliciting help in trying to hid facts not surprising in the least and one other point we rember we won’t forget come November both the senate and president will change

Bill Barr is a good man who has served his Country honorably his entire life.

 

There was no "welcoming foreign interference" you imply conspiracy. The Mueller report specifically found NO conspiracy. Case closed.

 

In November the President will be re-elected, the Senate retained, and the House regained, and liberal tears will fall like rain. Just like in 2016. The difference is that you had a democrat front runner in 2016. This time its a Communist.

[Paul Henry]

All a pack of lies. We have on record numerous comments of the good work WIKILEAKS did by Trump.Then Trump stating I don"t know WikiLeaks never had anything to do with them .Never heard of Julius Assange what does he do? No don't know him or WikiLeaks". So who do we believe.? The one term president of the USA, WikiLeakes, Assange, the military, the security investigators or the "Fake Media"?

The scales of JUSTICE will balance in November. The ASmarican people will have their say.

[WalkingOrders]

43 minutes ago, luckyluke said:

For an innocent man the experience to be falsely accused must be  traumatic. 

 

For a guilty man being acquited must be an incredible ego boost. 

 

 

 

 

It must likewise be an incredible kick in the balls to find that the law has spoken clearly against one's position, leaving such a person with nothing else to to but moan about how justice makes him unhappy. Justice which has been found within the highest law in the land, and in accordance with the Constitution of the United States.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, WalkingOrders said:

The most acquitted and found Not Guilty President in the history of the USA. Soon to be re-elected.

Trump was not found ‘Not Guilty’, the impeachment charges against him were voted as insufficient to remove him from office.

 

No defense was made against the facts relating to what Trump did and was impeached for. Many who voted to acquit openly stated that Trump had done that which he was impeached for.

[DoctorG]

For those of you who instantly want to believe anything written against Trump, ask yourself this question. Why would Trump offer a pardon for Assange to say something that Assange has been saying all along? Assange has always maintained that Russia was not the source.

If Dana offered anything it would have been for Assange to offer up the real source so proceedings against them could begin.

It is standard law enforcement practice to offer immunity on the basis of giving up a more valuable culprit.

To date Assange has declined to name the source.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, WalkingOrders said:

It must likewise be an incredible kick in the balls to find that the law has spoken clearly against one's position, leaving such a person with nothing else to to but moan about how justice makes him unhappy. Justice which has been found within the highest law in the land, and in accordance with the Constitution of the United States.

Precisely which law has spoken?

[WalkingOrders]

35 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

I believe Trump is capably of this and misdirects every thing he is a total a joke and the whole world is laughing at him

I am laughing WITH him, and I gotta say the laughs keep a rollin' all the way until Inauguration day #2! 

[Chomper Higgot]

23 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Sounds like more Fake News like Bill Barr is going to quit because of Trump's tweets. 

Yep, that fake news came from Billy Barr.

 

Barr is is going nowhere, he needs a pardon and he’s fool enough to believe Trump will give him one.

 

He needs to listen to Assange.

 

Manafort and Flynn will help focus his thinking

[WalkingOrders]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Precisely which law has spoken?

The Impeachment Trial that happened in the Senate held in accordance with the Constitution of the United States of America which found him Not Guilty of Two charges. That law. The highest law of the land. Clear enough?

[DoctorG]

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/02/dana-rohrabacher-pointedly-did-not-deny-a-key-allegation-about-his-dealings-with-assange-ex-us-attorney/

 

^{Dana statement.}

[WalkingOrders]

8 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Trump was not found ‘Not Guilty’, the impeachment charges against him were voted as insufficient to remove him from office.

 

No defense was made against the facts relating to what Trump did and was impeached for. Many who voted to acquit openly stated that Trump had done that which he was impeached for.

You need to go back and watch the proceeding one more time. The words NOT GUILTY were read on the Senate floor, and the Chief Justice of the United States said

 

"Donald J Trump is hearby acquitted of the charges against him"

 

That should be clear enough for all constitutional scholars on this website.

[Chomper Higgot]

6 minutes ago, WalkingOrders said:

The Impeachment Trial that happened in the Senate held in accordance with the Constitution of the United States of America which found him Not Guilty of Two charges. That law. The highest law of the land. Clear enough?

Trump was acquired under a Impeachment Trial governed by ‘Senate Impeachment rules’. 

 

 

[WalkingOrders]

And on subject  I dont think Assange should be pardoned, I think he should come to the USA, be released on bail, tried, plea bargained, if guilty given credit for time served, and sentence communited by the President if given jailtime.

I think assange has done enough time.

[WalkingOrders]

30 minutes ago, Paul Henry said:

All a pack of lies. We have on record numerous comments of the good work WIKILEAKS did by Trump.Then Trump stating I don"t know WikiLeaks never had anything to do with them .Never heard of Julius Assange what does he do? No don't know him or WikiLeaks". So who do we believe.? The one term president of the USA, WikiLeakes, Assange, the military, the security investigators or the "Fake Media"?

The scales of JUSTICE will balance in November. The ASmarican people will have their say.

Wow, you read a lot into that article that I couldn't find.