Assange Amazing Adventures of Captain Neo in Blonde Land.

[seemslikeadream]

IT IS FALSE AND DEFAMATORY TO ACCUSE WIKILEAKS OF A BUNCH OF THINGS THAT AREN’T THE KEY ALLEGATIONS AGAINST IT

January 7, 2019/3 Comments/in 2016 Presidential Election, Mueller Probe /by empty wheel

WikiLeaks decided it was a good idea to release a long list of claims about Julian Assange and WikiLeaks that it considers defamatory. Emma Best obtained and liberated the list. Given that the list clearly attempts (unsuccessfully in some places, and hilariously in other places where they deem matters of opinion defamatory) to be factually correct, I’m interested in the way WikiLeaks uses the list to try to deny a bunch of things that might end up in a US criminal indictment.

THE US IS ONLY ANGRY WITH ASSANGE BECAUSE ECUADOR HAS LOTS OF DEBT

Pretty far down the list, WikiLeaks denies being gagged for claims made about Sergey Skripal in such a way as to falsely suggest the only concerns the US had over Assange came to do with debt pressure.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that Ecuador isolated and gagged Mr. Assange due to his comments on Sergei Skripal [in fact, he was isolated over his refusal to delete a factually accurate tweet about the arrest of the president of Catalonia by Spain in Germany, along with U.S. debt pressure on Ecuador. The president of Ecuador Lenin Moreno admitted that these two countries were the issue, see https://defend.wikileaks.org/about-julian/].

It’s nonsensical to claim that Assange was gagged just because of debt pressure, but it’s a good way to hide how the timing of his gag correlated with actions he took to piss of the US government, including by releasing a live CIA malware file.

THE US CHARGED ASSANGE FOR ACTIONS IT ALREADY DECIDED NOT TO CHARGE HIM FOR, ON WHICH STATUTES OF LIMITATION HAVE EXPIRED

The rest of the list is sprinkled with efforts to spin the US government’s legal interest in Assange. There’s an extended series of items that attempt to claim, as WikiLeaks has since DOJ accidentally revealed the existence of a recently filed complaint against Assange, that the charges instead relate to long-past publications (like Cablegate).

It is false and defamatory to deny that Julian Assange has been formally investigated since 2010 and charged by the U.S. federal government over his publishing work [it is defamatory because such a claim falsely imputes that Mr. Assange’s asylum is a sham and that he is a liar, see https://defend.wikileaks.org/].

It is false and defamatory to suggest that such U.S. charges have not been confirmed [in fact, they have, most recently by Associated Press (AP) and the Washington Post in November 2018].
– It is false and defamatory to suggest that the U.S. government denies the existence of such charges.
– It is false and defamatory to suggest that Julian Assange is not wanted for extradition by the U.S. government [in fact, public records from the Department of Justice show that the U.S. government says it had been intentionally concealing its charges against Mr. Assange from the public specifically to decrease his ability to “avoid arrest and extradition”].
– It is false and defamatory to suggest that the U.S. government has not publicly confirmed that it has an active grand jury, or pending or prospective proceedings, against Julian Assange or WikiLeaks, each year since 2010.

These claims are all true. WikiLeaks has been under investigation since well before 2010. There are charges that the US would like to extradite Assange for.

But all the public evidence suggests those charges relate to WikiLeaks’ recent actions, almost certainly involving Vault 7 and probably involving Russia’s election year operation.

JULIAN ASSANGE IS NOT A HACKER, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM BEING SOMEONE WHO SOLICITS OR ASSISTS IN HACKS

WikiLeaks makes repeated claims that might appear to deny that the organization has solicited or assisted in hacks. The list denies that the DNC (which doesn’t have all the evidence Mueller does) has accused Assange of soliciting hacks of the DNC or Podesta. (Everywhere, this list is silent about the DCCC and other election year targets).

It is false and defamatory to suggest that the Democratic National Committee has claimed that Julian Assange directed, conspired, or colluded to hack the Democratic National Committee or John Podesta [in fact, the DNC makes no such claim: https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-conte ... aksDNC.pdf].

It denies that France has claimed that the MacronLeaks came from Russia (which again stops short of saying that the MacronLeaks came from Russia).

It is false and defamatory to suggest that the French government found that “MacronLeaks” were hacked by Russia [in fact, the head of the French cyber-security agency, ANSSI, said that they did not have evidence connecting the hack with Russia, see https://wikileaks.org/macron-emails/].

It denies that Assange has hacked the state of Ecuador (but not the Embassy of Ecuador or other states, including the US or Iceland).

It is false and defamatory to suggest that Julian Assange has ever hacked the state of Ecuador.

And it denies that Assange is, himself, a hacker.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that Julian Assange is a “hacker”.

All of these hacking denials stop well short of denying that WikiLeaks has solicited hacks before, including by publicizing a “most wanted” list that Russian hackers might respond to.

MUELLER DESCRIBED WIKILEAKS AS AN UNINDICTED CO-CONSPIRATOR BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN MUELLER HAS ANY INTEREST IN THE ORGANIZATION

Close to the top of the list, WikiLeaks makes two claims to suggest the organization and Assange are not targets in the Mueller investigation.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that WikiLeaks or Julian Assange has ever been contacted by the Mueller investigation.It is false and defamatory to suggest that there is any evidence that the U.S. charges against Julian Assange relate to the Mueller investigation.

This is misdirection hiding a great deal of evidence that WikiLeaks is a target in the Mueller investigation. The list is silent, for example, on whether Congressional investigators have contacted Assange, whether Assange ultimately did accept SSCI’s renewed request last summer to meet with Assange, and whether Assange demanded immunity to travel to the US to respond to such inquiries.

Nor does WikiLeaks deny having been described — in a fashion usually reserved for unindicted co-conspirators — in a Mueller indictment.

WIKILEAKS DOESN’T DENY THAT WIKILEAKS DENIED RUSSIANS WERE ITS SOURCE FOR 2016 MATERIALS

WikiLeaks twice denies, in very similar language, that it suggested that Seth Rich was its source for the DNC emails.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that WikiLeaks or Julian Assange claimed that any person or entity was their source for WikiLeaks’ 2016 U.S. election publications [it is defamatory because Julian Assange’s professional reputation is substantially based on source protection].

[snip]

It is false and defamatory to suggest that WikiLeaks or Julian Assange has ever stated or suggested that any particular person was their source for any publication, including Seth Rich.

A good lawyer would be able to sustain a claim that Assange had indeed “suggested” that Rich was his source, though it would make an interesting legal battle.

But when WikiLeaks denies feeding Seth Rich conspiracies, it does so only by denying the most extreme conspiracy, that the Democrats had Rich killed.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that WikiLeaks or Julian Assange has ever published, uttered or tried to promote alleged conspiracy theories claiming “John Podesta engaged in satanic rituals”, the “Democratic Party had Seth Rich Killed”, “Clinton wore earpieces to the 2016 US election debates”, on “Clinton’s health” or “Clinton kidnapping children”.

All of this, of course, dodges the way that WikiLeaks repeatedly tried to claim that Russia was not its ultimate source for the 2016 files.

Should we take the silence on this point as an admission?



MARCY WHEELER IS FALSE AND DEFAMATORY


Finally, there are four claims relating to Vault 7, three of which pertain to my coverage of the way WikiLeaks attempted to leverage the Vault 7 releases in conversations with the Trump Administration. WikiLeaks denies that the two times Assange suggested to the President’s spawn that he should be made an ambassador to the US constituted an effort by WikiLeaks to get Trump to appoint Assange ambassador (note, this is also a denial that Assange tried to serve in another diplomatic role, which is different than being Ambassador).

It is false and defamatory to suggest that WikiLeaks tried to have the Trump administration appoint Julian Assange as an ambassador or to have any other person or state appoint him as an ambassador.

I find it notable that this claim departs from the form used in many of these denials, speaking for both Assange and WikiLeaks.

Then the list twice denies that Assange suggested he wouldn’t release the Vault 7 files if the Trump Administration provided him immunity.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that Julian Assange has ever extorted the United States government.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that Julian Assange has ever proposed that he not publish, censor or delay a publication in exchange for any thing.

Assange would and will claim that the discussions with Adam Waldman where just this arrangement was floated are protected by Attorney-Client privilege. But Waldman may have said enough to people at DOJ to refute this denial regardless.

Finally, WikiLeaks insisted it has never retracted any of the bullshit claims it made about its Vault 7 files.

It is false and defamatory to suggest that any of WikiLeaks’ claims about its 2017 CIA leak, Vault 7, “were later retracted”.

Given that one of the claims directly parroted the bullshit claims Shadow Brokers was making, a claim it made in a release that will probably be part of the charges against it, this non-retraction doesn’t necessarily help it much.

Note that one other thing WikiLeaks is silent about here are its public statements about Joshua Schulte, whose attempts to continue leaking from jail the FBI got on video. I find that interesting both for WikiLeaks’ attempt to corroborate Schulte’s thin excuse for using Tor after he was charged, and for its relative silence about whether he would be a whistleblower if he were its source for CIA’s hacking tools.

Update: WikiLeaks has released a revised version that takes out, among other things, the Ambassador claim, the Seth Rich claims, and also a denial that it is close to Russia.
https://www.emptywheel.net/2019/01/07/i ... gainst-it/

[seemslikeadream]

join the club


An analysis by USA Today published in June 2016 found that over the previous three decades, United States president Donald Trump and his businesses have been involved in 3,500 legal cases in U.S. federal courts and state court, an unprecedented number for a U.S. presidential candidate.

There have been 115 federal lawsuits naming Donald Trump filed between January 1, 2018 and June 8, 2018.

Julian Assange launches legal challenge against Trump administration

WikiLeaks founder’s lawyers file urgent application in attempt to prevent extradition to US

Owen BowcottLast modified on Wed 23 Jan 2019 10.14 EST
Follow the latest US politics news
Julian Assange, the fugitive WikiLeaks founder whose diplomatic sanctuary in the Ecuadorian embassy appears increasingly precarious, is launching a legal challenge against the Trump administration.

Lawyers for the Australian activist have filed an urgent application to the Washington-based Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) aimed at forcing the hand of US prosecutors, requiring them to “unseal” any secret charges against him.

The legal move is an attempt to prevent Assange’s extradition to the US at a time that a new Ecuadorian government has been making his stay in the central London apartment increasingly inhospitable.

He has been staying in the Knightsbridge flat, which houses the embassy, since 2012 when he fled extradition proceedings at the UK’s supreme court. Swedish prosecutors have since dropped their request to extradite him to Stockholm over a rape investigation.

If he were to walk out on to the street, Assange is likely to face contempt of court charges for fleeing British justice. His chief fear, however, is that once arrested, the US authorities would begin fresh extradition proceedings against him alleging security offences.

It is believed American prosecutors have been investigating Assange since at least 2011, when a grand jury hearing was opened into the whistleblowing website’s publication of hundreds of thousands of US diplomatic cables, in conjunction with a number of international newspapers including the Guardian.

The IACHR monitors human rights in the Americas and hears appeals on individual cases. The Trump administration, however, has boycotted its recent hearings.

The 1,172-page submission by Assange’s lawyers calls on the US to unseal any secret charges against him and urges Ecuador to cease its “espionage activities” against him.

Baltasar Garzón, the prominent Spanish judge who has pursued dictators, terrorists and drug barons, is the international coordinator of Assange’s legal team. He has said the case involves “the right to access and impart information freely” that has been put in “jeopardy”.

The Trump administration is refusing to reveal details of charges against Assange despite the fact that sources in the US Department of Justice have confirmed to the media that they exist under seal.

“The revelation that the US has initiated a prosecution against Mr Assange has shocked the international community”, the legal submission to the IACHR states. The US government “is required to provide information as to the criminal charges that are imputed to Mr Assange in full”.

The application alleges that US prosecutors have begun approaching people in the US, Germany and Iceland and pressed them to testify against Assange in return for immunity from prosecution.

Those approached, it is said, include people associated with WikiLeaks’ joint publications with other media about US diplomacy, Guantánamo Bay and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Assange’s lawyers say the Trump administration has pressurised Ecuador to hand over Assange, making increasingly overt threats. In December, the New York Times reported that Ecuador’s new president, Lenin Moreno tried to negotiate handing over Mr Assange to the US. in exchange for “debt relief”.

The application also highlights what it says are “espionage operations” against Assange in the London embassy.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/ ... xtradition

[Grizzly]

we get it, slad it's Trump. Trump Trump Trump! It's ALL trump all day every day, Trump Trump Trump. Russia Russia Russia. Trump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia Russia

killary would have saved us!!!

[seemslikeadream]

why is trump hiding all his private communications with Putin?

I know trump is your guy but Americans are entitled to this information even though you do not care

or is it that you can not handle the truth about your president? Or is it that you can not refute any of this like a grown up so you choose to post like a child? What you can not refute any of this because you are incapable of discussing all these facts like an adult?

you can act like a child all you want there are no rules against that

Trump and Putin Have Met Five Times. What Was Said Is a Mystery.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/15/us/p ... tings.html

The NRA The Russia Connection
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=40968

Jerome Corsi: RussiaGate’s ‘Little Big Man’
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=41461

Michael Cohen
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=40936

Roger Stone
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=40914

Maria Butina
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=41206

George Papadopoulos
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=41040

Mike Pence
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=40991

Trumpublicons: Foreign Influence/Grifting in '16 US Election
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40179

Paul Manafort
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40370

13 Russian Nationals Indicted by Grand Jury
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40854

INDICTED Turkish Minister Former General Manager...GIULIANI?
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40682

The Domestic Conspiracy Is Hiding In Plain Sight Erik Prince
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40315

Will Flynn bring back Yellowcake to WH Menu after 1-21-17?
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40188

POISON IN THE SYSTEM
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40564

Jared Kushner
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40566

Russia Biggest Cybersecurity Firm Head Arrested For Treason
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40330

Everything you need to know about Felix Sater
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40670

The Mystery of the 14 Dead Russian Officials
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40675

[Marionumber1]

I know trump is your guy

SLAD, I like a lot of what you post, but I don't think this is a fair thing to say at all. Where has Grizzly indicated that they support Trump? Are you saying that critiquing the Trump/Russia scandal (and I'm not making any comment on its validity here) automatically equates with Trump support?

[seemslikeadream]

has he EVER said anything negative about trump?

all he ever done in 2 years is post nonsense in my threads and I am tired of it



critiquing?


with 34 horse gifs?

that's critiquing?

it's bullshit

what if I did not like what you were posting and I posted that crap in your thread?

[Marionumber1]

I don't usually like going through people's post history, but:

Recent US elections confirmed that progressives will have to fight two monsters at once: Donald Trump and corporate Democrats
https://failedevolution.blogspot.com/20 ... -that.html

Whose the chick that said, Trump was a motherfucker? I like her...lol

[seemslikeadream]

I don't usually like going through people's post history, but:

Recent US elections confirmed that progressives will have to fight two monsters at once: Donald Trump and corporate Democrats
https://failedevolution.blogspot.com/20 ... -that.html

Whose the chick that said, Trump was a motherfucker? I like her...lol

oh please go back 2 years and get back to me

what if I did not like what you were posting and I posted that crap in your thread?

he constantly posts off topic stuff in my threads

please give me a link to those two posts

[Marionumber1]

You are right that Grizzly could have expressed themselves a lot more substantively. I have no argument there. My only issue is the immediate conclusion that because Grizzly disagrees about issues like Russiagate, they support Trump. Also, I haven't been on RI for nearly as long as most people here, so I want to ask: is it indeed the case that whoever starts a thread gets to control the direction it takes? If so, then Grizzly was undoubtedly out of line, but if not, I don't think it's right for threads to be limited to one point-of-view with little room for dissent. Especially because this thread isn't about the Russia scandals, but Assange more broadly.

[seemslikeadream]

Just yesterday I was told to leave a thread because I was disagreeing with a post ....it was called off topic

I deleted my posts and apologized and left

It used to be we could have a discussion in a thread now there has to be separate threads for every point of view just so things like he posted would stop

As it is with this thread there is a copy cat thread ...if he doesn’t like this thread he can go a thread he likes more

I’ll admit I am pissed at him because he did this to me twice in 3 days and I am just fricking tired of it.....I have history with him that you do not understand


here's the link to the other thread he knows where it is ..he has posted in it a dozen times...it's more to his liking ..btw he loves that horse gif

http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... =8&t=40987

here is another thread that has a copy cat thread but he choose to post off topic crap instead of posting in a thread more to his liking
off topic post by Griz in my thread ......I don't like being followed around by him posting off topic stuff in my thread. And me accusing him of being a trump supporter is no more out of line than that post of his....I think I know his point of view I have read every single thing he has posted
Skripal: Theresa May set to hit back Russia over spy
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 09#p668909

what does this have to do with Assange? YEA I AM PISSED ABOUT IT

WHAT DOES killary (HILLARY) HAVE TO DO WITH ASSANGE?

WHEN DID I EVER SAY HILLARY WOULD HAVE SAVED US? NEVER! THAT'S ANOTHER FALSE ACCUSATION BY GRIZZLY

I didn't go after him he came into this thread to harass me....59 TIMES HE WROTE TRUMP RUSSIA.....and I am the problem here? I have every right to accuse him of being a trump supporter after that crap .....there are plenty of trump crimes that do not involve Russia....find all his posts about those crimes if he indeed is not a trump supporter or really doesn't care

we get it, slad it's Trump. Trump Trump Trump! It's ALL trump all day every day, Trump Trump Trump. Russia Russia Russia. Trump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia RussiaTrump Trump Trump. Russia Russia Russia

killary would have saved us!!!

you may not agree with me but I would NEVER do this to you...in fact wasn't I the first person to offer you help when you arrived here? Did I ask your thoughts on trump before I offered my help? That did not matter to me. I spent time finding you everything I could I thought I was being helpful. Everyone is entitled to post what they want without being harassed or their thread being targeted...

I have been harassed for over 2 years by 4 people here because of my beliefs about trump/russia....a couple people left here and start their own hate site ...I HATE SLAD AND RI because I would not stop posting here .....I have been posting here for 14 years and just until 2 years ago I never had a problem like this with anyone ....but times they are a changing

[seemslikeadream]

Carole Cadwalladr
‏

Roger Stone met @nigel_farage at a key moment in the Trump campaign...


..and the timing of the dinner - with @nigel_farage, Roger Stone & Alex Jones - is very very curious...



.right before the DNC leaks...

https://twitter.com/carolecadwalla/stat ... 5031731200

Dr Matt Prescott
‏

@mattprescott
Follow Follow @mattprescott
More
The alleged role of Charles "Chuck" JOHNSON in linking up Donald TRUMP JNR with Julian ASSANGE / WIKILEAKS probably deserves greater scrutiny. The meeting this article mentions Dana ROHRABACHER (friend of FARAGE) had in London jars + could be important.

Internet Troll Chuck Johnson
http://www.rigorousintuition.ca/board2/ ... 33&t=41140

[JackRiddler]

On the contrary, #Russiagate panic supports the front of Trump-Pence-GOP and the Democrats who collaborate. That's often just idiocy and not always intentional support of Trump, but with the MIC and the neocons and the Bush regime veterans who use it to guarantee Trump's participation in aggressive war it is!

Shutdown -- which is an attempted fulfillment of Bannon's "dismantling of the administrative state" -- the attack on Venezuela, continuing invasion of Yemen, attack on immigrants, the withdrawal from arms agreements, the Korean peace process -- all fucking non-issues to most of the Russiagate obsessives unless they can be connected in some insane way to Putin.

[seemslikeadream]

Xeni Jardin

In 2015-2016 I confronted people close to Assange and asked if he was getting money from Russia, or otherwise in cahoots with the crime ring that runs it. Ridiculous conspicuous silence then, before witnesses, & now. Your time is coming, too. Justice finds a way. Truth will out.




People who probably knew and helped him lied and omitted. It’ll come out. Soon.


Trump has enabling cronies who are now falling. So did his doppelgänger on the hacker left. And all of you assholes who got money to him or helped otherwise best have good attorneys and security.


I confronted someone close to Assange/Wikileaks, a loud defender. Was Assange quid-pro-quo’d by Putin/Russia to help Trump? JA threatened me over it in real time when I called it out during the campaign. Those i confronted privately covered for him then. How about now?


Justice is coming


No I am not a witness nor have I been interviewed by OSC and do not @ me, I say in open source whatever there is of merit to say.
https://twitter.com/xeni

[MacCruiskeen]

Xeni Jardin

In 2015-2016 I confronted people close to Assange and asked if he was getting money from Russia, or otherwise in cahoots with the crime ring that runs it. Ridiculous conspicuous silence then, before witnesses, & now. Your time is coming, too. Justice finds a way. Truth will out.




People who probably knew and helped him lied and omitted. It’ll come out. Soon.


Trump has enabling cronies who are now falling. So did his doppelgänger on the hacker left. And all of you assholes who got money to him or helped otherwise best have good attorneys and security.


I confronted someone close to Assange/Wikileaks, a loud defender. Was Assange quid-pro-quo’d by Putin/Russia to help Trump? JA threatened me over it in real time when I called it out during the campaign. Those i confronted privately covered for him then. How about now?


Justice is coming


No I am not a witness nor have I been interviewed by OSC and do not @ me, I say in open source whatever there is of merit to say.
https://twitter.com/xeni

Why should anyone give the merest flying fuck what some contemptible gobshite called Xeni Jardin happens to shit out or piss out or vomit out or tweet out about Julian Assange? Why are you spamming up this Discussion Board with this kind of loathsomely noxious secondhand crap? Because you approve of it, that's why.

"Best have good attorneys and security." Sic.

FFS

[seemslikeadream]

sorry you are so upset..it's a shame you can't handle another point of view


is that spamming excuse the one you are going to petition Elvis to get rid of me next? It worked once I guess you could try it again

I smell a set up

SLaD posted a link to Xeni Jardin.....HOLY SHIT!