5 ms·

The charges from Sweden have been dropped and bought several times depending on their usefulness to the Americans it is not a case of the system working as inte

The charges from Sweden have been dropped and bought several times depending on their usefulness to the Americans it is not a case of the system working as intended. It is a foreign power putting diplomatic pressure on the Swedish government to put pressure on a man who has embarrassed them.

papito 7y ago
And in this case, William Barr really doesn't want Assange here, in order to protect his client, Donald J. Trump. And that's why we will not see the extradition to the United States while the Justice Department has been essentially neutered by, what would you call it? Deep State?
- wwweston 7y ago
  The current administration, given its stated opposition to a deep state, is perhaps best characterized as The Shallow State.
- vintermann 7y ago
  I'm more inclined to think Trump's impeachment will be well timed to the date of Assange's extradition. The three letter agencies can live with an erratic president, but not one that might pardon or otherwise protect Assange. (Barr will eventually side with them, not Trump)
  - jki275 7y ago
    I think you don't know how impeachment works. Trump will not be removed from office, no matter what the lower house of the US government happens to do. The Senate would have to have 67 votes in a majority republican controlled body to remove him. That simply will not happen -- even in the House, which is politically far more independent, the Democratic Party was not able to get a single Republican vote, and even had defectors from their own party just to authorize the proceedings at all. You can't win an impeachment trial without broad bipartisan support, and there is exactly zero bipartisan support for this proceeding.
    - stjohnswarts 7y ago
      Yeah I don't see how the trial will go through, there is no way they get 67 votes in the senate. He would have to literally walk up and shoot a nun in the face on camera before those Republicans would budge, they've already made up their mind he's forgiven for (almost) any crimes while he's in office.
      - magduf 7y ago
        Some of them have already said they'd be fine with him shooting someone in broad daylight on a NYC street, and think that this isn't an impeachable offense.
        stjohnswarts 7y ago
        That's hyperbole though. they're just showing that they are trumpers until something ridiculous like that happens. I'm sure there are some zealots but 99% of them would not be cool with him murdering someone in cold blood.
        papito 7y ago
        They actually brought that hyperbole up to one of the supporters and they asked "well, so what did that person do that he would shoot them?"
        jki275 7y ago
        In the absurd hypothetical that the President decided to shoot someone, that's a relatively reasonable question one might ask...
        magduf 7y ago
        It's not hyperbole, this is directly from Congressional Republicans. They believe that "executive immunity" means the President can commit whatever crimes he wants in office, and is immune from prosecution until his term is over.
  - seppin 7y ago
    > (Barr will eventually side with them, not Trump) You aren't paying attention very closely.
vintermann 7y ago
Yup, very convenient that the pseudo-charges (He was never formally charged) were maintained for ten years, but as soon as they complicate extradition to the US they get dropped. It's not the only thing in the Assange case which is blatantly political persecution. You got to wonder how most of the press can keep pretending it's not.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- lordlimecat 7y ago
  My understanding is that Sweden under no circumstances would have been able to extradite him to the US, and certainly not with less difficulty than extradition from the UK. The fact that Assange fled Sweden for the UK, skipped bail, and then concocted a Swedish conspiracy theory is a bit on the implausible side. >He was never formally charged My understanding is that the Swedish system does not allow formal charges in abstentia.
belorn 7y ago
I actively try to avoid anything that look like a conspiracy, but when I read the news that the prosecutor was going to make a statement my first thought was that it would be very convenient for the US if Sweden dropped the case. And then the actually statement came out and they dropped it.

papito 7y ago

And in this case, William Barr really doesn't want Assange here, in order to protect his client, Donald J. Trump. And that's why we will not see the extradition to the United States while the Justice Department has been essentially neutered by, what would you call it? Deep State?

wwweston 7y ago
The current administration, given its stated opposition to a deep state, is perhaps best characterized as The Shallow State.
vintermann 7y ago
I'm more inclined to think Trump's impeachment will be well timed to the date of Assange's extradition. The three letter agencies can live with an erratic president, but not one that might pardon or otherwise protect Assange. (Barr will eventually side with them, not Trump)
- jki275 7y ago
  I think you don't know how impeachment works. Trump will not be removed from office, no matter what the lower house of the US government happens to do. The Senate would have to have 67 votes in a majority republican controlled body to remove him. That simply will not happen -- even in the House, which is politically far more independent, the Democratic Party was not able to get a single Republican vote, and even had defectors from their own party just to authorize the proceedings at all. You can't win an impeachment trial without broad bipartisan support, and there is exactly zero bipartisan support for this proceeding.
  - stjohnswarts 7y ago
    Yeah I don't see how the trial will go through, there is no way they get 67 votes in the senate. He would have to literally walk up and shoot a nun in the face on camera before those Republicans would budge, they've already made up their mind he's forgiven for (almost) any crimes while he's in office.
    - magduf 7y ago
      Some of them have already said they'd be fine with him shooting someone in broad daylight on a NYC street, and think that this isn't an impeachable offense.
      - stjohnswarts 7y ago
        That's hyperbole though. they're just showing that they are trumpers until something ridiculous like that happens. I'm sure there are some zealots but 99% of them would not be cool with him murdering someone in cold blood.
        papito 7y ago
        They actually brought that hyperbole up to one of the supporters and they asked "well, so what did that person do that he would shoot them?"
        jki275 7y ago
        In the absurd hypothetical that the President decided to shoot someone, that's a relatively reasonable question one might ask...
        magduf 7y ago
        It's not hyperbole, this is directly from Congressional Republicans. They believe that "executive immunity" means the President can commit whatever crimes he wants in office, and is immune from prosecution until his term is over.
- seppin 7y ago
  > (Barr will eventually side with them, not Trump) You aren't paying attention very closely.

vintermann 7y ago

Yup, very convenient that the pseudo-charges (He was never formally charged) were maintained for ten years, but as soon as they complicate extradition to the US they get dropped. It's not the only thing in the Assange case which is blatantly political persecution. You got to wonder how most of the press can keep pretending it's not.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
lordlimecat 7y ago
My understanding is that Sweden under no circumstances would have been able to extradite him to the US, and certainly not with less difficulty than extradition from the UK. The fact that Assange fled Sweden for the UK, skipped bail, and then concocted a Swedish conspiracy theory is a bit on the implausible side. >He was never formally charged My understanding is that the Swedish system does not allow formal charges in abstentia.

belorn 7y ago

I actively try to avoid anything that look like a conspiracy, but when I read the news that the prosecutor was going to make a statement my first thought was that it would be very convenient for the US if Sweden dropped the case. And then the actually statement came out and they dropped it.