Dude, I Didn’t See This Coming Because I Wasn’t Even Looking In That Direction
Okay, so Julian Assange’s lawyer is talking.
An attorney for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange alleged in court Wednesday that President Trump offered a pardon to Julian Assange if he would deny any Russian involvement in the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hack in 2016.
This is a hearing where Assange is fighting extradition to the United States for trial where Assange could face up to 18 charges, including conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.
The lawyer added that the message was sent through ex-congressman Dana Rohrabacher.
Trump’s press secretary issued the usual never-met-the-guy line.
“The President barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he’s an ex-congressman. He’s never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject. It is is a complete fabrication and a total lie. This is probably another never ending hoax and total lie from the DNC,” Grisham said in a statement.
Rohrabacher was known as “Putin’s best friend in congress” so the idea that Trump barely knew him is … well, insane.
When he retired from congress in 2018, the Washington Post did a column that now looks like they had a crystal ball into the development of Trump’s nationalism. So, not only did Trump know him, Rohrabacher probably ordered the peeing hookers.
Hey, I’m gonna watch the debate tonight.
Ms. Juanita Jean Herownself: “So, not only did Trump know him, Rohrabacher probably ordered the peeing hookers.” That’s one theory. Not to defend Russian hookers, or to defend hookers in general, there’s some evidence that the ‘hookers’ were neither hookers or Russian, but Moscow Mitch and Leningrad Lindsey in drag. Add Donnie’s* and the passports of those two to list of documents needed to be seen along with his* tax returns, Messy’s immigration papers, and all the documents requested by the House to date.
In all seriousness. Remember Kevin McCarthy: “There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump”
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/2/23/1744349/-Kevin-McCarthy-R-Ca-There-s-two-people-I-think-Putin-pays-Rohrabacher-and-Trump
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-majority-leader-to-colleagues-in-2016-i-think-putin-pays-trump/2017/05/17/515f6f8a-3aff-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html
1Well so much for the illusion of a strong and independent judiciary.
They just folded like a house of cards because of a tweet.
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/02/federal-judges-postpone-emergency-meeting-on-barr-political-interference-after-trump-tweets-at-them/
2“… another never ending hoax and total lie… ” Grisham said in a statement.”
That’s a perfect title for Grisham’s tell all book after she’s fired/quit.
3Who knew that Julian Assange knew how to make and serve coffee?
4Chelsea Manning’s lawyers renew call to release her from jail
Edit: Incarceration is form of ‘punitive sanction’, says lawyer. Manning in jail after refusing to testify before grand jury.
In December the UN’s special rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer, denounced Manning’s ongoing incarceration as itself a form of torture. In addition to being jailed the former soldier is also being heavily penalized financially.
For every day she refuses to testify, she is being fined $1,000. The total has already reached about $230,000.
In the motion for release, Meltzer-Cohen decries Manning’s prolonged incarceration as a form of unlawful “punitive sanction” on the grounds that it is serving no purpose because the inmate will never be coerced into testifying.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/19/chelsea-manning-lawyers-call-release-jail
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5https://theintercept.com/2020/02/17/reality-winner-clemency-petition/
K, the timing is certainly less than auspicious. Will Judge Rufe share the reason for the postponement or leave her colleagues on the federal bench hanging? This contest of ‘leaks’ is beginning to smell.
6But the good news is how we’ll get to see Barr twist himself into a pretzel, after this confirmation exchange:
Leahy: Do you believe a president could lawfully issue a pardon in exchange for the recipient’s promise to not incriminate him?
Barr: No, that would be a crime.
(source: https://www.emptywheel.net/2019/03/26/three-times-william-barr-said-trading-pardons-for-false-testimony-was-obstruction-of-justice/ )
When Assange’s lawyer produces the claimed evidence in court, we get to see Barr saying “well, it’s not a *crime* crime, more of a guideline”
7Tha Root
8We Calculated How Much We Pay Trump to Play Golf. It Turns Out, He’s America’s 10th Highest Paid Athlete
Possibility is demented donnies judges threatened (on orders) to trash the association and start competitor and judge rufe being an “institutionalist” figured the risk to the organization was of greater importance then standing up for the principles of the institution.
9Much like mueller folded on his investigation.
After all the illusion of principles and independence is more important then actually being principled and independent.
Robert McClellan@8: Well spotted, but you left off the juiciest part of The Root article. They suggested a golf game between Trump and Obama, and the winner gets to be president again.
(source: https://www.theroot.com/we-calculated-how-much-we-pay-trump-to-play-golf-it-tu-1841793634 )
I guess we also have to stipulate that PGA rulles apply, and Trump does not get to cheat as usual.
10In order to commit crimes with impunity, one must first get elected president!
11