South_Mountaineer said:

paulsurovell said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/05/28/indictment-assange-is-blueprint-making-journalists-into-felons/?utm_term=.29f90ff650aa
Must-read analysis of the new Assange indictment by Glenn Greenwald.rpoint

 Glenn's following Rachel's lead?

 They are in agreement now, but Rachel is coming in late:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/05/28/indictment-assange-is-blueprint-making-journalists-into-felons/?utm_term=.6461d0fa6446

Obama officials were willing to prosecute Assange only if they could find evidence that he did more than work with his source, Chelsea Manning, in the ways journalists typically collaborate with their sources. They searched for evidence showing, and pressured witnesses (including Manning) to assert, that Assange actively instructed Manning on how to remove those documents. Years of searching found no evidence that this happened, so officials concluded that any prosecution of WikiLeaks or Assange would irrevocably endanger press freedoms because there was no way to prosecute WikiLeaks without also prosecuting the New York Times and the Guardian for publishing the same material.

The Trump administration’s first indictment of Assange, filed last month, sought to circumvent this dilemma by masquerading as a narrowly crafted instrument that offered Assange’s adversaries an easy way to cheer the charges without being perceived as supportive of threats to journalistic freedom. That indictment pretended it was prosecuting Assange for allegedly helping Manning hack into government databases to steal secret material.

But even that first indictment was clearly a ruse. It did not allege that Assange attempted to help Manning “hack” into government databases to steal documents. It only alleged that he did that so to help her avoid getting caught, which is not merely a right but a duty of journalists when dealing with sources who are taking great risks to show the public what their governments and powerful corporations are doing.

paulsurovell said:

nohero said:
Poor Julian is learning that karma is a b-word.
He hated Obama and by extension Hillary.  So he facilitates the release of hacked private communications to help Trump.  Meanwhile, the Obama Administration decided that using the Espionage Act against Julian would chill the conduct of legitimate journalists, so decided not to use that.  Trump, on the other hand, has no such reservations, hence the latest indictment of Julian.
Now all those journalists that Julian's fans have been sihtting on, are expected to leap to his defense.  Which they will because of things like principles.  Something that Julian lacks.

 And will your principles cause you to leap to Julian's defense?

I'll agree with the Obama administration which didn't pursue the charges that are in the most recent indictment, brought by the Administration of Julian's preferred candidate.

nohero said:
I'll agree with the Obama administration which didn't pursue the charges that are in the most recent indictment, brought by the Administration of Julian's preferred candidate.

From debunking the Assange smears:

Assange Smear 18: “He was a Trump supporter.”

https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/assange-smear-18-he-was-a-trump-supporter-92db307784d7

No he wasn’t. He hated Hillary “Can’t we just drone this guy?” Clinton for her horrible record and her efforts as Secretary of State to shut down WikiLeaks, but that’s not the same as supporting Trump. His hatred of Clinton was personal, responding to a complaint by a lead Clinton staffer about his role in her defeat with the words “Next time, don’t imprison and kill my friends, deprive my children of their father, corrupt judicial processes, bully allies into doing the same, and run a seven year unconstitutional grand jury against me and my staff.”

And he wanted her to lose. Desiring the loss of the woman who campaigned on a promise to create a no-fly zone in the same region that Russian military planes were conducting operations is perfectly reasonable for someone with Assange’s worldview, and it doesn’t mean he wanted Trump to be president or believed he’d make a good one. Preferring to be stabbed over shot doesn’t mean you want to be stabbed.

In July 2016 Assange compared the choice between Clinton and Trump to a choice between cholera and gonorrhea, saying, “Personally, I would prefer neither.” When a Twitter user suggested to Assange in 2017 that he start sucking up to Trump in order to secure a pardon, Assange replied, “I’d rather eat my own intestines.” Could not possibly be more unequivocal.

Assange saw Trump as clearly as anyone at the time, and now he’s behind bars at the behest of that depraved administration. Clinton voters still haven’t found a way to make this work in their minds; they need to hate Assange because he helped Hillary lose, but when they cheerlead for his arrest they’re cheering for a Trump administration agenda. These same people who claim to oppose Trump and support the free press are cheerleading for a Trump administration agenda which constitutes the greatest threat to the free press we’ve seen in our lifetimes. When I encounter them online I’ve taken to photoshopping a MAGA hat onto their profile pics.

Assange has never been a Trump supporter. But, in a very real way, those who support his imprisonment are.

Is Julian Assange being murdered?

He may have days to live according to one source.

A great champion of human rights and injustice, Caitlin Johnstone, seems to be one of only a handful of people reporting on the very serious medical condition of Julian Assange.

Julian Assange’s Swedish lawyer Per Samuelson has told the press that “Assange’s health situation last Friday was such that it was not possible to conduct a normal conversation with him.”

He should go to the doctor more often.

And take vitamins.

nan said:

From debunking the Assange smears:

Assange Smear 18: “He was a Trump supporter.”
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/assange-smear-18-he-was-a-trump-supporter-92db307784d7

No he wasn’t. He hated Hillary “Can’t we just drone this guy?” Clinton for her horrible record and her efforts as Secretary of State to shut down WikiLeaks, but that’s not the same as supporting Trump.

 This also isn’t the same as “supporting Trump”: “preferred candidate.”

nan said:
Is Julian Assange being murdered?

He may have days to live according to one source.

A great champion of human rights and injustice, Caitlin Johnstone, seems to be one of only a handful of people reporting on the very serious medical condition of Julian Assange.

Julian Assange’s Swedish lawyer Per Samuelson has told the press that “Assange’s health situation last Friday was such that it was not possible to conduct a normal conversation with him.”

 Not the first time that someone connected with Russia has suddenly taken deathly ill in Great Britain.

DaveSchmidt said:

nan said:

From debunking the Assange smears:

Assange Smear 18: “He was a Trump supporter.”
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/assange-smear-18-he-was-a-trump-supporter-92db307784d7

No he wasn’t. He hated Hillary “Can’t we just drone this guy?” Clinton for her horrible record and her efforts as Secretary of State to shut down WikiLeaks, but that’s not the same as supporting Trump.

 This also isn’t the same as “supporting Trump”: “preferred candidate.”

 Ms. Nan's "point" is the same garbage argument that's used by the "I can't vote for Hillary" people when they add, "but that doesn't mean I support Trump".  The election was binary, as in "either/or".  If you withheld a vote for Hillary, you were helping Trump.  In the same way, if you released material that harmed Hillary, you were helping Trump.  Trump was "preferred" by Julian, no doubt about it.

nohero said:

paulsurovell said:

nohero said:
Poor Julian is learning that karma is a b-word.
He hated Obama and by extension Hillary.  So he facilitates the release of hacked private communications to help Trump.  Meanwhile, the Obama Administration decided that using the Espionage Act against Julian would chill the conduct of legitimate journalists, so decided not to use that.  Trump, on the other hand, has no such reservations, hence the latest indictment of Julian.
Now all those journalists that Julian's fans have been sihtting on, are expected to leap to his defense.  Which they will because of things like principles.  Something that Julian lacks.

 And will your principles cause you to leap to Julian's defense?

I'll agree with the Obama administration which didn't pursue the charges that are in the most recent indictment, brought by the Administration of Julian's preferred candidate.

 You are putting weasels to shame.

sbenois said:
He should go to the doctor more often.


And take vitamins.

 Agreed. Those who are deprived of sunlight put their health at great risk if they don't take sufficient Vitamin D supplementation. I wouldn't be surprised if that is Julian's problem. 

paulsurovell said:

nohero said:

paulsurovell said:

nohero said:
Poor Julian is learning that karma is a b-word.
He hated Obama and by extension Hillary.  So he facilitates the release of hacked private communications to help Trump.  Meanwhile, the Obama Administration decided that using the Espionage Act against Julian would chill the conduct of legitimate journalists, so decided not to use that.  Trump, on the other hand, has no such reservations, hence the latest indictment of Julian.
Now all those journalists that Julian's fans have been sihtting on, are expected to leap to his defense.  Which they will because of things like principles.  Something that Julian lacks.

 And will your principles cause you to leap to Julian's defense?

I'll agree with the Obama administration which didn't pursue the charges that are in the most recent indictment, brought by the Administration of Julian's preferred candidate.

 You are putting weasels to shame.

 If you mean I took a position, while others should be ashamed for weaseling out, I wouldn't say they should be ashamed.  I'd want to hear the basis for their decision not to pick a side.

UN Special Rapporteur Calls for Julian Assange to Be Freed

https://truthout.org/video/un-special-rapporteur-calls-for-julian-assange-to-be-freed/

The United Nations special rapporteur on torture is warning that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is suffering from the effects of “psychological torture” due to his ongoing detention and threats of possible extradition to the United States. The U.N. expert, Nils Melzer, also warned that Assange would likely face a “politicized show trial” if he were to be extradited to the United States. Melzer writes, “In 20 years of work with victims of war, violence and political persecution, I have never seen a group of democratic states ganging up to deliberately isolate, demonize and abuse a single individual for such a long time.” Julian Assange is currently serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail in 2012 at London’s Belmarsh Prison, after he was forcibly removed from the Ecuadorean Embassy by British police last month. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department announced it was charging Assange with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act for his role in publishing U.S. classified military and diplomatic documents exposing U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Assange, who had already been charged on one count of hacking a government computer, now faces up to 170 additional years in prison under the new charges — 10 years for each count of violating the Espionage Act. Assange was due to appear by video link before a magistrates’ court on Thursday but failed to appear, reportedly due to health problems. We speak with U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer.

Assange is safer in prison than wandering around trying to avoid tea spiked by Russians on a tour of cathedrals somewhere.

Julian Assange is not safe, and the mainstream media is not reporting on his condition.

BBC, Sky News Have Hidden Their Interviews With UN Expert On The Torture Of Assange

https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/bbc-sky-news-have-hidden-their-interviews-with-un-expert-on-the-torture-of-assange-4cb155aaf313?fbclid=IwAR0eszagb9zc9oWl0AaMCetJlG615_kLf5vlt7W76ThefMm31UvEZg4n8Sc

He'll be fine.    He's in good hands.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-13/u-k-signs-julian-assange-u-s-extradition-request-javid-says?srnd=premium-asia

UK signs extradition request; goes before court on Friday.

Any word yet from Bernie the Multimillionaire on Julian Assange?  Is Bernie going to support Julian or not?   

Very disappointed in Bernie.  Must be too busy counting his money.

sbenois said:
Any word yet from Bernie the Multimillionaire on Julian Assange?  Is Bernie going to support Julian or not?   


Very disappointed in Bernie.  Must be too busy counting his money.

 Bernie already spoke out against the charges. I have not had time to update this and the Bill Browder threads.  I have a lot to put in--you just reminded me--thanks!

Julian Assange is reportedly not going well.

New Fears for Julian Assange

https://consortiumnews.com/2019/08/07/new-fears-for-julian-assange/

Probably should just try him and then give him his sentence already.   No reason to continue with the false hope that a President Sanders or President Gabbard can do anything to save him.

Why would the ailment be undisclosed?

He’s been in the hospital wing since the end of May. Wikileaks was posting about his deteriorating health back in January 2018.

https://www.newsweek.com/julia...

https://www.theguardian.com/me...

jamie said:

Why would the ailment be undisclosed?

Because Assange is a hypocrite (and probably also a criminal, but the latter is up to the courts to decide)

Thank you Pamela Anderson for confirming that Julian Assange smeared his feces on the walls of the Ecuadorean embassy.

Yes Pam, it WAS a smear.

Pamala Anderson slapped Megan McCain upside the head:

NIco House does a good rebuttal of the Megan McCain, daughter of a war criminal, smears on Assange:

Tim Black also speaks well on the Anderson-McCain View flap.  Those women on the View are so ignorant despite talking about politics every day.

Thank you for your biased opinion.

Pamela seems to get her talking points from the same places you do.

sbenois said:

Thank you for your biased opinion.

Pamela seems to get her talking points from the same places you do.

 She said "War is a business."   I 100% agree with that.

Lots of mainstream media lies about Assange revealed.

A "bombshell" CNN report claimed to show how Wikileaks founder Julian Assange published stolen Democratic Party emails in 2016 in cooperation with the Russian government from his place of refuge in Ecuador's London embassy. Ecuadorian diplomat Fidel Narváez -- who served in the embassy throughout Assange's stay -- says that CNN's report was error-ridden and defamatory.

“There are so many smears, speculations, and some false information in that report that somewhat somebody needs to set the record straight," Narváez says. "It is unbelievable how they twist every single thing in order to to defame Julian and Ecuador."

Guest: Fidel Narváez, former Ecuadorian diplomat who served in Ecuador's London embassy for six of the seven years that Julian Assange lived there under asylum.

Read Fidel Narváez's article at The Grayzone, "40 rebuttals to the media’s smears of Julian Assange – by someone who was actually there": https://thegrayzone.com/2019/08/20/cn...

Read CNN's report: "Exclusive: Security reports reveal how Assange turned an embassy into a command post for election meddling," https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/15/politi...