Julian Assange wants President Trump's Justice Department to cut him a deal before being extradited

[DonViejo]

Source: Salon

The WikiLeaks founder also blamed President Obama after backing out of his promise to be extradited

MATTHEW ROZSA

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is hoping that President Donald Trumps Justice Department will work out a deal so he can avoid extradition to the United States even as Assange tried to blame former President Barack Obama for the PR faux pas that has put him in his current predicament.

We had a major strategic victory in liberating Chelsea Manning, [link:https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jan/24/julian-assange-wikileaks-chelsea-manning-pardon-make-life-hard-the-project?CMPedit_2221Assange told Waleed Aly of The Project] on Monday. But, of course, saying Im willing to accept extradition doesnt mean Im saying that Im willing to be a complete idiot and throw all my lawyers away and so on.

He added, We are going to have a discussion with the DoJ about what that looks like. The ball is in their court.

Assange has taken asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London of his own free will since June 2012, when Sweden issued an arrest warrant based on sexual assault allegations against him by two women from 2010. Although Assange has claimed that he wont go to Sweden over fear that they will extradite him to the United States, the American government has never issued a formal indictment against Assange, though he is under investigation.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2017/01/24/julian-assange-wants-president-trumps-justice-department-to-cut-him-a-deal-before-being-extradited/

[brooklynite]

1. ...says the man who hasn't been charged with anything in the US...but has been in Sweden

[cemaphonic]

7. This whole recent chapter in the Assange drama has just been bizarre, right?

His initial offer was obviously baloney, since the US is not seeking his extradition. Even if it was, how could he turn himself in to the US without first clearing his legal entanglements with the UK and Sweden? Yet, he's still acting like there is an actual negotiation, instead of a PR stunt that blew up in his face.

I used to think that his Public Enemy #1 shtick was just a cynical performance to blow smoke on his actual legal problems. But after the last couple of weeks, I think that he really does believe that he is the star of a 70s spy movie.

[justiceischeap]

2. This is extortion

Wikileaks threatens trump tax returns release then asks for a better extradition deal.

[dgibby]

3. Delicious!

I love it when they turn on each other.

[bettyellen]

4. And he might do it because the super fringe -left or right-are his bread and butter. They normalize

Him either their insanity.

[MGKrebs]

5. He just needs to get Putin to put in (so to speak) a good word for him.

I'm sure Trump would take the call.

[cstanleytech]

6. Dear Julian,

Man up and stop using the excuse that you are afraid of being extradited to the US to avoid the criminal charges you actually face in Sweden.
Sincerely,
An unconcerned citizen with your plight

[Blue_Tires]

8. Well, Donnie does owe him a solid...

[Old Vet]

10. Yes he does, And down the road trump will show Assange his graditude for the help.

In the election.

[Madam45for2923]

9. wink wink fellow rapey mate!