Attorneys for Julian Assange told a London court on Wednesday that they will provide evidence that the Trump administration offered to pardon the WikiLeaks founder if he was willing to say that Russia had nothing to do with leaks of Democratic Party emails, according to Bloomberg.
During the preliminary extradition hearing, Assange’s lawyers said that former GOP congressman Dana Rohrahbacher offered the deal in 2017, one year after WikiLeaks published emails which were damaging to then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. At the time, the FBI’s ‘Russiagate’ investigation was in full swing as the agency tried in vein to prove that Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 US election.
At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Assange’s lawyer Edward Fitzgerald asked the court to allow more witness statements during the extradition hearing that will start next week. The new information includes a witness statement by Jen Robinson, another of Assange’s lawyers, that deals with the alleged offer made by then U.S. Representative. Dana Rohrabacher, he told the court.
Gun Rights Under Imminent Threat as Blue Wave Positions Dems to Revive Firearm Crackdown
Rubio defends Trump’s Iran decision: ‘Elected to do the hard things’
Melania Trump secures $7.2M for foster care scholarships at LSU ahead of Alabama showdown
DeSantis Slams Vivek Ramaswamy’s Disastrous Ohio Campaign: ‘How Bad Did They Beat Vivek? Like a Drum!’
DeSantis Gives Another Powerful Rebuke of GOP’s Strategy: ‘Screaming Socialism’ Doesn’t Work
Election Recap: Despite the GOP’s Massive Losses, Data Buried in Tuesday’s Results Show Voters Are Clamoring for Conservative Policies
Trump orders DOJ probe into Democrats over alleged threats against admin officials
Biden-appointed judge probes whether ICE skirted judge’s release orders in Colorado cases
Salon Signs Off: The Truth Outlasts the Smear
Newsom’s death-row commutations spark DA revolt as prosecutors warn of legal fight
Turning Point USA event at University of New Mexico ends with two arrests and a string of charges
The Left’s Joe Rogan Can’t Stop Laughing at Twisted Charlie Kirk Execution Fantasy
Slew of Arrests For Newly Elected Democrats Across the Country, Some Could Face Years in Jail
White House Slammed for Tone-Deaf Post About ‘Triumphal Arch’ Following Midterm Bloodbath
9 mystery fingerprints from OJ Simpson murder case could hold new clues more than 30 years later
The witness statement will address “Mr. Rohrabacher going to see Mr. Assange, and saying on instructions of the president, offering pardon or some other way out if Mr. Assange played ball and said the Russians had nothing to do with” the leaks, Fitzgerald said. -Bloomberg
Assange spent nearly seven years living in the Ecuadorian embassy in Central London in order to avoid extradition to Sweden, and later the United States.
The White House has denied the claim.
Developing…
Story cited here.
