Manafort Tried to Broker Deal With Ecuador to Hand Assange Over to U.S.

[octoberlib]

WASHINGTON — In mid-May 2017, Paul Manafort, facing intensifying pressure to settle debts and pay mounting legal bills, flew to Ecuador to offer his services to a potentially lucrative new client — the country’s incoming president, Lenín Moreno.

Mr. Manafort made the trip mainly to see if he could broker a deal under which China would invest in Ecuador’s power system, possibly yielding a fat commission for Mr. Manafort.

But the talks turned to a diplomatic sticking point between the United States and Ecuador: the fate of the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

In at least two meetings with Mr. Manafort, Mr. Moreno and his aides discussed their desire to rid themselves of Mr. Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since 2012, in exchange for concessions like debt relief from the United States, according to three people familiar with the talks, the details of which have not been previously reported.


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/us/politics/manafort-assange-wikileaks-ecuador.html

[mucifer]

1. he is so creepy. I feel so bad for his daughter who disowned him.

[octoberlib]

2. Why doesn't Ecuador just kick him the hell out?

[OnDoutside]

3. It doesn't make sense for Manafort to want Assange handed over to

US authorities.

[dewsgirl]

6. That is my thinking.

[manor321]

8. It does when you realize Trump is in charge of those authorities.

[OnDoutside]

14. Well he is and he isn't. Nominally yes, but US intelligence and Mueller

would want to get hold of him. The idea of him being able to get to Russia,makes sense.

[octoberlib]

9. Manafort was broke and trying to make money by lobbying for the Chinese energy sector.

As part of the deal, Moreno wanted to get rid of Assange. Nothing came of it because Mueller got in the way. Moreno really wants Assange out of that embassy, though. He tried to arrange a deal with the Russians but the British found out about it and said if Assange steps one foot out the door , they'll arrest him.

[OnDoutside]

13. The implication seemed to be the Manafort was willing to be party

To a deal which would see Assange handed over to the US.... which is the last place you would imagine they'd want him to go.

[octoberlib]

15. At the time , Moreno probably thought the Trump admin wanted him as bad as the Obama admin.

Maybe he wasn't up on all the Trump admin crimes.

[Me.]

4. The Twists & Turns Of This Traitor's Tale Is Never Ending

[pecosbob]

5. Purchasing Puerto Rico's bond debt to take over their electric utility?

Who knows how many people's death he's responsible for in the Ukraine. Does this guy ever turn off the Dr. Evil stuff? I always distrust the NYT's spin on anything, so this article really just leaves me with questions. Don't think the Dumbino Mob wants Assange within a thousand miles of US soil unless it's to silence him permanently and he can't do that in daylight. Justice wants him, but all the other federal agencies that would have to be involved with such a thing are controlled by Gump appointees who would do his bidding.

[dewsgirl]

7. This guy is truly evil.

[octoberlib]

11. Moreno is the one who brought it up because he wants Assange the hell out of his embassy.

Manafort said he didn't promise anything. Nothing ever happened because Mueller got in the way.

[pecosbob]

12. That makes sense...

So this kind of looks like more garden-variety grifting for millions...

[struggle4progress]

10. "Look! I am cooking up some more greasy gobs of delicious garbage for you all!"