Julian Assange refuses House Judiciary request for documents

“Statement from Julian Assage DC lawyer Barry Pollack in relation to Congressional requests for documents from @WikiLeaks “The First Amendment dictates that any inquiry by Congress should not begin by issuing requests to journalists for documents pertaining to its news gathering,” the announcement said.

Assange faces allegations that he acted on Russia’s behalf during the 2016 presidential election by posting hacked emails from Democratic officials, assertions that he denies. Assange claims his actions are in line with other journalists who have published classified material.

The WikiLeaks founder claimed asylum and took refuge in Ecuador’s British embassy in 2012 to avoid questioning for alleged Swedish sex crimes.

Assange claimed the Swedish sex allegations were part of a U.S. plot to extradite him to face American charges related to publishing military and diplomatic secrets in 2010 provided by Chelsea Manning. The Swedish investigation ended without charges last year, but he still faces possible arrest for British bail violations.

It was accidentally revealed last year that the U.S. had prepared an indictment against Assange.

The House Judiciary Committee announced in March that it was seeking documents from 81 different individuals and entities connected to Trump, his campaign, and his associates in an attempt to uncover alleged obstruction of justice, corruption, or abuses of power by the president.

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