U.S. Is Optimistic It Will Prosecute Assange

[octoberlib]

The Justice Department is preparing to prosecute WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and is increasingly optimistic it will be able to get him into a U.S. courtroom, according to people in Washington familiar with the matter.

Over the past year, U.S. prosecutors have discussed several types of charges they could potentially bring against Mr. Assange, the people said. Mr. Assange has lived in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since receiving political asylum from the South American country in 2012.

The people familiar with the case wouldn’t describe whether discussions were under way with the U.K. or Ecuador about Mr. Assange, but said they were encouraged by recent developments.

Ecuador’s relationship with Mr. Assange has deteriorated sharply since last year’s election of President Lenin Moreno, who has described him as a “stone in our shoe” and said his continued presence at the embassy is unsustainable.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-is-optimistic-it-will-prosecute-assange-1542323142

[nycbos]

1. I remember when he was a hero here.

[htuttle]

2. Hmm, Odds of Trump pardoning him

added to the odds of Assange threatening to squeal if he doesn't get a pardon?

I'd say 75% that they'd consider it.

[struggle4progress]

3. Yet another story making claims while citing nobody by name?

[octoberlib]

4. Isn't that what they all do? Cite anonymous sources. The article doesn't really give much detail

but maybe somebody's trying to make Assange believe the walls are closing in.

[struggle4progress]

5. The tale of poor St Julian -- who had to flee to the UK from Sweden in fear for his life, after

accidentally having sex with various female CIA agents, all intent on carrying him off to the US for public execution -- and ever since then imprisoned without trial in the Ecuadorian embassy by Sweden, the UK, and the US -- always afraid to step out onto the balcony, lest he be assassinated by a US drone -- suffering from the lack of sunlight and fresh air, homesick from being unable to visit with his beloved family, oppressed by the Ecuadorian brutes who viciously insist he cannot skateboard in the embassy and must clean up after his cat -- well, this sad and amazing tale begins naturally to beg for some concrete evidence to support its more fantastic parts