Assange: Pardon Fell Through, So Trump Tried Extortion

By David Edwards — February 24, 2020

An attorney for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange accused the Trump administration of extortion in a London court on Monday.

The WikiLeaks attorney appeared at Woolwich Crown Court along with U.S. prosecutors, who argued that Assange should be extradited the United States, where he faces 18 charges and up to 175 years in jail.

Attorneys for Assange previously told the court that former Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) tried to broker a pardon deal between the White House and Assange if he would agree to say that Russia was not the source of hacked Democratic Party emails.

Defense attorney Edwards Fitzgerald said on Monday that Rohrabacher had called the pardon offer a “win-win.”

But when the pardon fell through, the Trump administration tried to extort Assange with a political prosecution, according to the attorney.

Read some of the reports from the courtroom below.

More detail on the Assange - Dana Rohrabacher meeting. Assange's lawyer says the congressman presented a "win win solution which could allow JA to leave the embassy and get on with his life."

— Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020

Assange QC notes that Mr Rohrabacher has denied saying he was acting on President Trump's behalf when offering a pardon in exchange for identifying the source of the 2016 DNC leaks.

— Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020

Edward Fitzgerald on alleged pardon offer to Assange and President Trumps denial of it “well he would say that wouldn’t he.”

— Samantha Hawley (@samanthahawley) February 24, 2020

#Assange court is told US congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Charles Johnson discussed a ‘pre-emptive’ pardon in exchange today ‘personal assistance’ to President Trump in August 2017.... if Assange revealed source of DNC leak/hack.

— Hugh Whitfeld (@hughwhitfeld) February 24, 2020

As for President Trump's denial- "well he would say that, wouldn't he."

— Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020

Why is this all important? Assange's legal team will argue this is a political prosecution, not driven by justice, so extradition should not go ahead.

— Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020

Assange lawyer expanding on claims US Repub congressman offered Trump pardon in exchange for saying Russia not involved in leaking DNC emails
Dana Rohrabacher said to have described it as "win win" situation.. Assange could get out of Ecuadorian embassy and get on with life"

— Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) February 24, 2020

Defense goes over Rohrabacher and Charle Johnson meeting with Assange in 2017. They represented they were there to offer pardon on behalf of Trump. #Assange

— Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola) February 24, 2020

Defense: “Whole pardon business shows that just as prosecution was initiated in December 2017 so after this meeting for political purposes. So too did Trump administration use the threat of prosecution as a means of extortion to obtain personal political advantage from Assange.”

— Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola) February 24, 2020

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