Justice Dept. debating charges against WikiLeaks members in revelations of diplomatic, CIA materials

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post




By Matt Zapotosky and Ellen Nakashima April 20 at 5:21 PM

Federal prosecutors are weighing whether to bring criminal charges against members of the WikiLeaks organization, taking a second look at a 2010 leak of diplomatic cables and military documents and investigating whether the group bears criminal responsibility for the more recent revelation of sensitive CIA cyber-tools, according to people familiar with the case.

The Justice Department under President Barack Obama had decided not to charge WikiLeaks for revealing some of the government’s most sensitive secrets — concluding that doing so would be akin to prosecuting a news organization for publishing classified information. Justice Department leadership under President Trump, though, has indicated to prosecutors that it is open to taking another look at the case, which the Obama administration did not formally close.

It is not clear whether prosecutors are also looking at WikiLeaks’ role last year in publishing emails from the Democratic National Committee and the account of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, which U.S. officials have said were hacked by the Russian government. Officials have said individuals “one step” removed from the Kremlin passed the stolen messages to WikiLeaks as part of a broader Russian plot to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors in recent weeks have been drafting a memo that contemplates charges against members of the WikiLeaks organization, possibly including conspiracy, theft of government property or violating the Espionage Act, officials said. The memo, though, is not complete, and any charges against members of WikiLeaks, including founder Julian Assange, would need approval from the highest levels of the Justice Department.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/justice-dept-debating-charges-against-wikileaks-members-in-revelations-of-diplomatic-cia-materials/2017/04/20/32b15336-2548-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html?utm_term=.0cd0ca286bd4&wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-politics%252Bnation&wpmk=1

[cstanleytech]

1. You know it would be funny in a way if the Trump administration who Assange helped via

wikileaks decided to actually go after Assange now.
Personally I think it would be stupid to go after him as the ones at fault are the leakers like Snowden that broke the law in the handling of classified information but thats just my opinion.

[benld74]

2. Debating. Key word

[Cryptoad]

3. CNN: Sources: US prepares charges to seek arrest of WikiLeaks' Julian Assange

abt fucking time!


http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/20/politics/julian-assange-wikileaks-us-charges/index.html?adkey=bn

[cstanleytech]

4. Will be interesting to see them try and actually build a case against Assange because

since the DOJ under Obama didnt pursue one I am going to assume they thought any such case would be to difficult to win a conviction.

[Cryptoad]

5. I think maybe the new push is,,,,

connected to new data and evidence that has surfaced by the the Russian -Trump collusion

[cstanleytech]

7. Well the other possibility is Trump is not guilty of collusion with the Russians and

thus is not worried and is pushing the DoJ to go after Assange.
That's not to say that there isn't anyone in our government who might be guilty of collusion though as I am extremely suspicious of certain Repugnants in Congress who have been stonewalling any independent investigation.

[BigOleDummy]

8. Doesn't matter anymore.....

... if they lose in court they'll just appeal all the way to the Supreme court. Wanna bet how THAT would go now?

[cstanleytech]

9. That would be difficult for the prosecution to do if Assange is found not guilty as usually

the prosecution is only given one bite of the apple and to get a second bite is almost unheard of.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Justice Department Weighs Charges Against Julian Assange

By ADAM GOLDMAN APRIL 20, 2017


WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is weighing anew whether to charge Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, for his role in the disclosure of highly classified information that the United States government claims has harmed national security and diplomatic relations, a law enforcement official said.

The debate among prosecutors, which the official described as vigorous, is being fueled by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who said at a news conference on Thursday that arresting Mr. Assange was a priority for the Justice Department.

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the details of the discussions remain secret, said senior Justice Department officials had been pressuring prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia to outline an array of possible charges against Mr. Assange.

But the official said prosecutors remained skeptical that they could pursue the most serious charges, of espionage, with regard to the documents Mr. Assange disclosed years ago with the help of an Army intelligence analyst, Chelsea Manning. Ms. Manning was convicted and sent to prison, but President Barack Obama commuted her sentence in January.

More:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/us/politics/justice-department-weighs-charges-against-julian-assange.html?_r=0