Why is the Trump administration going after Assange?

[lapucelle]

Is it a threat to make sure he doesn't talk, or is it preemptive play to diminish the credibility of any dirt Assange spills?

Or is it something else?

[Nwgirl503]

1. So they can eventually go after other news outlets

Not that I think Wiki is a news outlet, but they want to set the precedent. Preemptive play is parallel secondary.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Pre-emptive strike?

Neutralize Assange before he reveals stuff about Trump.

[lapucelle]

5. This sets up an "ulterior motive"

for any Assange damage, especially if he cuts a deal.

[Hekate]

13. Ass-ange is not likely to "reveal stuff about Trump" unless ordered to do so by Putin.

I'm surprised there's a single person at this site that doesn't know by now who Assange serves.

As for the "Trump Administration" -- this investigation is coming from departments are supposed to be independent of him and his people, but who can say these days?

[sharedvalues]

3. It's the FBI - seem to be independent of Trump

It appears that Comey is fairly independent - held over from Obama. If Trump fires Comey that's the big move.

"The US view of WikiLeaks and Assange began to change after investigators found what they believe was proof that WikiLeaks played an active role in helping Edward Snowden, a former NSA analyst, disclose a massive cache of classified documents."

And oddly, Pompeo may actually be a bit of a patriot, putting country over party.

[lapucelle]

6. I don't think Comey is all that independent.

He caved under pressure in October with the Hillary letter, and I'm not yet sure if I trust Pompeo.

Where is that quote from?

[sharedvalues]

8. Let's hope he is.

Speculation is that Comey knew NY Field Office was going to leak and he moved as fast as humanly possible to clear HRC. Other words, Comey got rolled.

If that's right Comey may be on the side of right.

And if he's not, we're all screwed. FBI runs counterintelligence investigations.

[lapucelle]

11. Rudy was well connected in that field office,

and they held onto the Weiner laptop information for weeks before they informed Comey.

If the FBI director was manipulated by the threat of rogue agents illegally leaking information in a partisan effort to impact a presidential election, we are all in more trouble than we even imagine.

[sharedvalues]

9. Quote from CNN story, sorry, lost link.

[PoliticAverse]

10. What pressure? The letter to the committee members seems to be purely his own idea. n/t

[jberryhill]

4. It is difficult to attribute this to a generalized "Trump Admin"

There are law enforcement mechanisms within the nominal "Executive Branch" which do not operate at the behest of the president. Or, at least, operate in a manner that attempts to exercise directed control cause problems.

See, e.g. "Saturday Night Massacre" - there are professionals within the government whose career horizons extend much further than the concerns of any particular administration in which they may be serving.

A criminal referral from an intelligence agency to the Justice Department can't simply be blown off without violating professional duties, obligations, and rules.

Military service not the only occupation in this country which requires an oath.

[lapucelle]

7. I almost changed that phrase to the single word "Trump",

but there seems to be a concerted effort.
You are right, though. The word "administration" doesn't really seem to fit here.

[Leith]

12. They Probably Want to Make Sure That He Doesn't Talk

The problem with that is that they don't have him. He could make one phone call or PM to get a hell of a lot of dirt on Trump'n'minions released within minutes. Putin could do it, so could any number of hacker groups. orange boy has to keep a lot of nasty people happy and he quite frankly doesn't have the brains to do it.

Something will come out eventually. Let's hope a lot of something. And soon.