Posted on 09/15/2020 11:37:15 AM PDT by RandFan
President Donald Trump had called for the death penalty to be used for Julian Assange before changing his mind about the Wikileaks founder, the Old Bailey heard.
US lawyer Eric Lewis claimed rumours Mr Trump had been aided by foreign powers in the 2016 election continued to be viewed by the American leader as "undermining his legitimacy", according to his witness statement presented to Assange's extradition hearing.
Assange is fighting extradition to the US following the leaks of hundreds of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011.
The 49-year-old, who has been in high-security Belmarsh Prison for 16 months, is facing 18 charges - including plotting to hack computers and conspiring to obtain and disclose national defence information.
Mr Lewis asserted: "WikiLeaks and Mr Assange pose a threat to the legitimacy of Trump's (election) campaign that he is desperate to squash by diverting attention and imprisoning Mr Assange
"WikiLeaks is a vulnerability for Trump because of the evidentiary links between his campaign and WikiLeaks."
In October 2016, WikiLeaks published DNC (Democratic National Committee) emails to the "undoubted benefit of Trump", according to Mr Lewis.
Mr Trump had regularly praised WikiLeaks during his campaign, remarking: "I love WikiLeaks," the court heard.
But by 2019, he claimed to know nothing about the organisation, only that "there is something having to do with Julian Assange", it was alleged.
In his statement, Mr Lewis said: "The prosecution of Julian Assange is part of Trump's efforts to distract attention from the help that WikiLeaks gave to focus attention on the earlier leaks, which are much more politically potent for him.
"He wants to put Mr Assange in jail and keep him quiet."
(Excerpt) Read more at mirror.co.uk ...
This always confuses me. Because in my mind Trump would not be president if it were not for Wikileaks. The emails were priceless in exposing the corruption of the democrats.
They’re lying.
Wikileaks leaks incriminate Hillary and the Democrats as the ones actually working with Russia to rig the election.
That the leaks came from whistleblowers in the Democrat party and were not hacked out by the Russians.
That’s been the coverup all along and the Mirror is just perpetuating that.
Agree with you.
Its very strange but this is the case his lawyers are making.
IF Trump said he’d give him a pardon, they’d then say he’s trying to hide Russian involvement.
If Trump says he wants Julian executed or put away for life, the’d then say (as they are in this article), he’s trying to hide Russian involvement.
These people want to have it appear any way it can.
they are alleging that trump wants to cover up his connection to wikileaks by putting him away for life or executing assange...
left trying to circular think reality.
Maybe he should be put in jail because he attacked our country?
This is his case though.. he is trying to convince the judge.
I think he is being badly advised but i’m not a legal expert.
Sorry, but that is such B.S.
His lawyers are angling for a Trump-deranged British judge to spring him.
Because Mr. Sausage leaks stuff?
Good stuff, bad stuff, doesn’t matter.
Not authorized to disclose.
Does Assange still have a Hillary-linked attorney?
While “this is the case his lawyers are making,” perhaps those lawyers are from the same DOJ that hands out immunity to Hillary’s crew in exchange for squat, gives a slap on the wrist to Kevin Clinesmith for falsifying evidence, and sends SWAT teams to arrest nonviolent supporters of President Trump.
“US lawyer Eric Lewis claimed rumours Mr Trump had been aided by foreign powers in the 2016 election continued to be viewed by the American leader as “undermining his legitimacy”, according to his witness statement presented to Assange’s extradition hearing.”
More unseat pres. Trump rumors. How about rumors Joe Biden sexually assaulted a woman or the way he acts around children is borderline pedophilia? Oh wait,he’s a Democrat. Nothing to see, just move along.
If Trump wants to put Assange in prison, why aren’t the Democrats and the MSM fighting tooth-and-nail for the charges against Assange to be dropped.
They’re against Trump on every other issue but this one.
*** Does Assange still have a Hillary-linked attorney? ***
Say what? Source for this assertion?
COuld be wrong. THought I had read that recently.
Trump should reply: “I was just about to pardon Assange, and offer him asylum. Having heard this, I changed my mind.”
“”””In October 2016, WikiLeaks published DNC (Democratic National Committee) emails to the “undoubted benefit of Trump”, according to Mr Lewis. “”””””””””
As compared to the hussein biden administration who used the FBI and CIA to spy on Trumps campaign to the “undoubted benefit of the hildabeast”.
*** If Trump wants to put Assange in prison, why aren’t the Democrats and the MSM fighting tooth-and-nail for the charges against Assange to be dropped. ***
Remember when Hillary in all seriousness asked re: Assange, “Can’t we just drone him?”
Those present laughed until they realized she wasn’t joking.
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