US attorney general may be using Assange case for political ends, court told

[TexasTowelie]

Source: The Guardian

The US attorney general, William Barr, may be using Julian Assange’s extradition case in the UK for political ends, the WikiLeaks founder’s defence team alleged during a court hearing at which he appeared by video link from prison for the first time in months.

It was a fact that Donald Trump had described the defence case as “a plot by the Democrats”, Edward Fitzgerald QC told the hearing at Westminster magistrates court.

Fitzgerald said a new superseding US indictment, produced months after the start of attempts in the UK to secure his extradition, had been “sprung” on his defence team.

The indictment, which had not yet been formally laid before the court, supersedes previous indictments brought in February and which related to 2010 and 2011.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jul/27/us-attorney-general-julian-assange-extradition-case-political-ends-uk-court-told

[machI]

1. Barr is using the Assange case for politicla ends - Barr is protecting Trump.

Barr's objective is to keep Assange from making any public statements about how the Russians obtained information from our servers at the DNC. The best way to keep him silent is a never ending incarceration using legal technicalities. The hope is for Assange to die in prison before he ever gets a chance to revel what he knows about the Russian hack.

[louzke9]

3. NO, REALLY?

[wolfie001]

2. Ironic....

....because of how hard that asshole worked to get donald dump elected. My theory for what it's worth (prob'ly nothing lol) is that Assange is a white nationalist. That's why he focused his visceral hatred on Clinton and Obama and the Dems in general. He was rejecting and reacting to a rapidly changing world and his being a complete shit was the only response he could come up with. Thanks Julian for nothing

[yaesu]

4. everything tRumps fixer does will be tainted, any prosecution under tRumps fixer will be questioned

he has bought shame to the justice department.

[B Stieg]

5. If there is a more corrupt person on this planet than tRump...

it's William Barr

[Roy Rolling]

6. Smug, Arrogant

Law enforcement is best handled by someone with ethics and empathy. Barr has neither.

He’s as far away from Andy of Mayberry as possible. He’s like that creature from Alien.

[amcgrath]

7. What is being ignored by everyone

Is the effect that Barr’s extradition order for Assange achieves.

To avoid abuse of the extradition system, a country seeking the return of a suspected criminal must lay out all charges against them. By law, they are only able to prosecute a person for the charges laid out in the order. That person can not have additional charges added after their return, even if they have only just been uncovered.

By charging Assange solely with offences related to the Chelsea Manning leak, on his return, Assange can never face trial for 2016 election interference. He cannot be put in a court, where he might give details of it.

The timeline goes like this.

In 2010 the leaks that Assange has been charged with occur.

On March 22nd 2019 AG Barr received his copy of the Mueller report, which included details of Assange's involvement.

Assange was arrested on April 11th. Putting him out of reach of reporters and stopping his ability to speak publicly.

On April 18th, the Mueller report was released to Congress.

Despite the findings of the Mueller report, and despite the numerous mentions in the Roger Stone trial, no additional charges have been added to Assange's extradition order. If returned to the US, it will not be possible to question or try him for any of those acts/crimes

[ewagner]

8. Thanks for the insight

I wasn't sure what a "superceding indictment" would mean in the legal sense.

This is more like Barr..legal maneuvering to serve his master Trump...

[Marcuse]

9. True. Today Dems should have asked Barr if JA will face charges in relation to hacks of the DNC.