Talk of Assange pardon

[struggle4progress]

BY JOE UCHILL - 09/01/17 06:00 AM EDT

... Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), who has come under scrutiny for his own ties to Russia, is behind the Assange pardon push.

The deal Rohrabacher is trying to cut: pardon Assange in exchange for information he claims proves Russia did not collude with the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential race.

The California Republican became the first U.S. lawmaker to meet with Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London early last month, where Assange has been holed up for years in an attempt to avoid arrest. Rohrabacher claims Assange offered him "firsthand" evidence during the meeting that would prove there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the race.

Earlier this week, Rohrabacher claimed a meeting is in the works between himself and the president to discuss Assange's information and a potential pardon ...

http://thehill.com/policy/technology/348773-could-trump-pardon-assange

[struggle4progress]

1. Dems want Rohrabacher pulled from panel

BY CRISTINA MARCOS - 08/31/17 01:02 PM EDT

... the Senate Intelligence Committee is considering whether to ask Rohrabacher about his meeting earlier this month with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in London ...

"Embattled Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, now apparently a person of interest to the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation, has no business chairing the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee that oversees Russia," DCCC spokesman Tyler Law said in a statement. "Chairman Royce must put aside his party loyalty and strip Rohrabacher of this important chairmanship immediately" ...

In 2012, Rohrabacher was warned by the FBI that Russian spies were trying to recruit him as an "agent of influence."

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) privately joked to colleagues last year that he thinks "Putin pays" Rohrabacher, along with Trump, according to a recording obtained by The Washington Post in May ...

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/348720-dems-want-rohrabacher-pulled-from-leadership-of-panel-overseeing-russia

[lanlady]

2. I'm confused

Assange is not a US citizen, what good would a presidential pardon do? Plus he's never been charged by the US. Sounds like more of Comrade Dana's loony tunes.

[customerserviceguy]

7. He might be charged with crimes for his participation

with Manning's information. Also, he could be granted some sort of safe passage to the US as part of the deal, which would at least get him out of his apartment at the Ecuadorian embassy.

The only thing I can't figure out is how it lets him off the hook with Swedish authorities.

Julian Assange would indeed be a useful idiot for Trump, if he can be persuaded to take the bait. Enough years in his "cell" in an embassy might just make this deal look good to him.

[GoCubsGo]

3. Don't you have to be convicted of a crime to get a pardon?

I don't recall that this asshole has ever even had a trial, let alone get convicted. It sounds to me like Rohrabacher is trying to cover his own ass, since he's up to his eyeballs in this, as well.

[Lochloosa]

4. No. Nixon was never even charged.

[Jim Dandy]

5. A trip to Guantanamo would be more appropriate

Like Trump, Assange would look swell in orange.

[Weekend Warrior]

6. Why wouldn't this be blackmail? Nt