Julian Assange indicted on 17 new charges under Espionage Act

[Swordsmyth]

I'm sure you will. That's easy and doesn't require any actual effort.

More than you are willing to put out for him.
I've done plenty else as well and will continue to do so.

 

[goldenequity]

Scott Horton Examines The Garbage Assange Espionage Indictment For Journalism & Exposing The Truth
https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2019/05/23/scott-horton-looks-at-assange-espionage-indictment/

 

[Swordsmyth]

A new indictment against Julian Assange could further delay what was already expected to be a protracted battle to get the WikiLeaks founder out of a London jail cell and into a U.S. court, opening the door for his legal team to argue that the Espionage Act charges are political and thus not covered by an extradition treaty between the two countries.

Though the United States and the United Kingdom have a longstanding extradition treaty, one exception is for political offenses. The criteria aren't clearly spelled out, but Assange and his lawyers are likely to use the charges filed Thursday to argue that the Justice Department wants to put him on trial for crimes that are inherently political in that they involve the acquisition and publication of government secrets.
"At least on the face of it, it seems like it would complicate the ability of the United States to extradite Assange from the U.K. because we often think of espionage as one type of political offense," said Ashley Deeks, a University of Virginia law professor and national security and international law expert.
She said she regarded an initial indictment made public last month — charging Assange with a single count of conspiring with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack a Defense Department computer password — as an attempt to "thread the needle and allege an underlying offense that did not seem like a political offense."
Whether the new Espionage Act charges fit the traditional definition of espionage, and by extension a political offense, may be murkier. "The question remains, how will the U.K. decision-makers think about this case," Deeks said.
That view was echoed by Stephen Vladeck, a national security law professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
"I don't think it's an especially meritorious argument that the new charges against Assange would fall within that exception, but it's certainly a more plausible argument than the original indictment," Vladeck said. "Now Assange's lawyers can argue with a straight face to a British court that some of what he's being prosecuted for is politically motivated."
Assange's lawyer, Barry Pollack, hinted at that argument after the new indictment was announced Thursday, saying "the fig leaf that this is merely about alleged computer hacking has been removed."

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/us-charges-against-assange-may-slow-extradition-uk-195254466--politics.html

Why not wait until he got here to file the new charges?

I'm still waiting for a suggestion other than that thus was done to help Assange fight extradition.

 

[kcchiefs6465]

I'm still waiting for a suggestion other than that thus was done to help Assange fight extradition.

It was done to put him in a cage for the remainder of his life.

The UK would cage him forever themselves if able to.

Also, it is not like he is walking free fighting this extradition attempt.

 

[Swordsmyth]

It was done to put him in a cage for the remainder of his life.

The UK would cage him forever themselves if able to.

Also, it is not like he is walking free fighting this extradition attempt.

It was speculated when the first charges were brought that more would be added after the US had him here but not before in order to avoid difficulty in extraditing him.
That isn't what happened.

I'm all ears if anyone has another explanation why it didn't happen that way.

 

[UWDude]

I just watched a documentary about the War of the Triple Alliance.
It started over support of a faction in the Uruguayan civil war. Paraguay supported one side (Blancos), and Brazil and Argentina supported the other (Colorados).
But then something happened, the Colorados won the civil war in Uruguay, and suddenly, the war went form 2 v 2, to 3 v 1, as Uruguay switched sides just like that.

This probably sounds unrelated... ...but it isn't.
The impossible is becoming quite possible now.

Especially as the winds of politics shift in Europe.
Big news coming Monday, in Europe.

 

[Swordsmyth]

I just watched a documentary about the War of the Triple Alliance.
It started over support of a faction in the Uruguayan civil war. Paraguay supported one side (Blancos), and Brazil and Argentina supported the other (Colorados).
But then something happened, the Colorados won the civil war in Uruguay, and suddenly, the war went form 2 v 2, to 3 v 1, as Uruguay switched sides just like that.

This probably sounds unrelated... ...but it isn't.
The impossible is becoming quite possible now.

Especially as the winds of politics shift in Europe.
Big news coming Monday, in Europe.

The scent of war is strong both near and abroad.

 

[Swordsmyth]

If Trump is playing chess and the plan is for Assange to come out alright then the strategy must be to get the left to like Assange again and defend him so that when he pulls the rug out from under Russiagate they can't just dismiss it because "he is in league with Trump and Putin"

If that is the plan then it seems to be working already:

• Bloomberg
  
  The New Assange Indictment Endangers Journalism
  
  When the Justice Department unsealed a March 2018 indictment of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange last month, there was a reasonable case to be made that his prosecution would avoid setting a dangerous precedent against press freedom. The original indictment charged Assange with computer hacking on the novel theory that he coached Private Chelsea Manning on how to crack passwords on Department of Defense computers that stored the reams of secret diplomatic cables Wikileaks eventually published. Journalists routinely encourage sources to encrypt their texts and phone calls.
  • The Danger in Prosecuting Julian Assange for Espionage
    
    Time
    
    
    
    
  • Charges Against Julian Assange Violate First Amendment, Advocates Say
    Fortune
    
    
  
  
  

• Trump's Justice Department Uses Julian Assange as Stalking Horse to Make Journalism a Crime
  The Daily Beast
  
  

Rachel Maddow has aired a segment condemning the new indictment against Julian Assange for 17 alleged violations of the Espionage Act.

Yes, that Rachel Maddow.
MSNBC’s top host began the segment after it was introduced by Chris Hayes, agreeing with her colleague that it’s surprising that more news outlets aren’t giving this story more “wall to wall” coverage, given its immense significance. She recapped Assange’s various legal struggles up until this point, then accurately described Assange’s new Espionage Act charges for publishing secret documents.

Wow. Make no mistake, this is a hugely significant development. This isn’t just some columnist for the New York Times or the Guardian, this is Rachel effing Maddow, the Queen Mother of all tinfoil pussyhat-wearing Russiagate insanity. This same pundit was just a couple of months ago not just smearing but outright lying about Assange, deceitfully telling her audience that the new legal rings closing around Assange were about his 2016 publications then instructing viewers not to Google anything about it because they’ll get computer viruses. Now that she’s recognized that this could actually hurt her and her network directly, she’s finally feeding her audience a different narrative out of sheer enlightened self-interest.

In addition to Hayes’ coverage of the story, MSNBC’s Ari Melber also did a segment harshly criticizing the implications of Trump administration’s new charges. We’re seeing multiple segments from CNN about the grave dangers of the legal precedent that is being set with the superseding indictment, as well as urgent warnings about the new charges from major publications like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Guardian. The outlets which have been smearing Assange relentlessly are now finding themselves forced to defend him.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019...smearers-finally-realize-his-fate-tied-theirs

 

[UWDude]

The outlets which have been smearing Assange relentlessly are now finding themselves forced to defend him.

Either one of two things happened here:

1) My enemies suddenly became virtuous

2) they really don't want Assange headed over here.

Now, the reason they don't want Assange here can not be because of any virtuous concern. They never cared about him before.

or

They are still reading that disinformation pool of sweet bad ideas, Q, and are afraid Trump secretly wants Assange in America to spill the big beans.

It doesn't mean Trump wants Assange in America to spill the beans. But it does mean they think he does.

 

[Swordsmyth]

Either one of two things happened here:

1) My enemies suddenly became virtuous

2) they really don't want Assange headed over here.

Now, the reason they don't want Assange here can not be because of any virtuous concern. They never cared about him before.

or

They are still reading that disinformation pool of sweet bad ideas, Q, and are afraid Trump secretly wants Assange in America to spill the big beans.

It doesn't mean Trump wants Assange in America to spill the beans. But it does mean they think he does.

The new charges do seem designed to keep Assange from being extradited, if they wanted to actally prosecute him they would have waited until they had him here to hit him with them.

They also seem to be going overboard in order to force the MSM to defend him.

 

[devil21]

It was done to put him in a cage for the remainder of his life.

The UK would cage him forever themselves if able to.

Also, it is not like he is walking free fighting this extradition attempt.

The dude allegedly got over 4 years in jail for skipping bail. Who knows what happens to him. Rot in some secret prison? Some think he/Wikileaks is a limited hangout honeypot to snag leakers. Or live out his days on a tropical island? Maybe he's the real deal. Who knows? But the notion of imprisoning journalists has a chilling effect regardless.

 

[kcchiefs6465]

It was speculated when the first charges were brought that more would be added after the US had him here but not before in order to avoid difficulty in extraditing him.
That isn't what happened.

I'm all ears if anyone has another explanation why it didn't happen that way.

Five Eyes. At this point what difference does it make?

It is an interesting question. By my estimation they’re (a.) a bunch of fucking morons and (b.) they don’t care about what you think. They write off Khashoggi with little more than a statement. I’ll be surprised if Assange* ever gets a day in court.

Though still, charging him before he gets here is not the stupidest thing they’ve ever done. I’ll take, “Incompetent tapeworms for $500.”

ETA: So many political prisoners names all sound the same.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

They discussed Assange today on Fox News Sunday. They pretty much agreed that Assange deserves everything he gets, and that he is truly evil. That he is not a journalist and this is no danger to freedom of the press. They basically paint him as an agent of Russian intelligence.

 

[nikcers]

They discussed Assange today on Fox News Sunday. They pretty much agreed that Assange deserves everything he gets, and that he is truly evil. That he is not a journalist and this is no danger to freedom of the press. They basically paint him as an agent of Russian intelligence.

The errosion of the first ammendment and the fake news industrial complex is going to destroy our society. They want blood so badly because they were embarassed but it will destroy our country. I sure hope they aren't satisfied with the result because these people deserve a special spot in hell.

 

[Schifference]

I think Assange chose a path and knew all along that he was playing with fire. I wish him the best. I do not think he belongs in jail or even indicted. I don't care what you do, but, if you chose to expose others you will make powerful enemies. If you are a nurse or doctor and chose to expose the filth or poor care at the facility you work, chances are you will not be admired, advanced, or even employable by other facilities. Doesn't matter cop, doctor, lawyer, accountant, laborer...... Don't rat out others or else.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

They discussed Assange today on Fox News Sunday. They pretty much agreed that Assange deserves everything he gets, and that he is truly evil. That he is not a journalist and this is no danger to freedom of the press. They basically paint him as an agent of Russian intelligence.

And the panel member who was leading the charge to smear Assange was Jonah Goldberg, who infamously called for Assange to be assassinated many years ago.

 

[UWDude]

They discussed Assange today on Fox News Sunday. They pretty much agreed that Assange deserves everything he gets, and that he is truly evil. That he is not a journalist and this is no danger to freedom of the press. They basically paint him as an agent of Russian intelligence.

Of course they do, it's FOX News. Many if not most of them believed Trump had been colluding with Putin, and were scared shitless because of it, many thought they were helping Trump cover up, and then many more believed he was straight up an agent of Putin. Retards on the right like Glenn Beck and Shepard Smith and... ...he who shall no longer be named.

 

[UWDude]

The errosion of the first ammendment and the fake news industrial complex is going to destroy our society. They want blood so badly because they were embarassed but it will destroy our country. I sure hope they aren't satisfied with the result because these people deserve a special spot in hell.

They will be drinking their own.

 

[UWDude]

I think Assange chose a path and knew all along that he was playing with fire. I wish him the best. I do not think he belongs in jail or even indicted. I don't care what you do, but, if you chose to expose others you will make powerful enemies. If you are a nurse or doctor and chose to expose the filth or poor care at the facility you work, chances are you will not be admired, advanced, or even employable by other facilities. Doesn't matter cop, doctor, lawyer, accountant, laborer...... Don't rat out others or else.

Julian Assange already won. He knows it. I know even if he dies in prison, he can already rest assured his existence did not go in vain. He changed the world. Very few men can say that as they draw their last breath.

 

[nikcers]

Julian Assange already won. He knows it. I know even if he dies in prison, he can already rest assured his existence did not go in vain. He changed the world. Very few men can say that as they draw their last breath.

That doesn't mean that he deserves it. He has already been in prison all of this time. If we let him die in prison then we deserve the government we get.