Whatever you think about the Justice Department’s decision to charge Julian Assange with conspiracy related to unlawful computer intrusion, Assange should also have been charged with conspiracy against the United States. That’s because the WikiLeaks founder supported Russian espionage efforts to unlawfully interfere with the U.S. 2016 presidential election.
Consider Assange’s sustained collaboration with Russia in hacking DNC servers and releasing John Podesta’s emails. Under Assange’s direction, WikiLeaks released those emails after being provided with them by the Russian GRU intelligence service. Beyond the communication trail between Russia and WikiLeaks, Assange has repeatedly served Russian interests and concealed his activities in doing so. His blaming of Seth Rich as the source of the DNC emails, for example, was designed as a cover for Russian culpability. That deception evidences Assange’s direct involvement in the conspiracy.
But it’s not just about the 2016 emails. Assange’s previous employment on the Kremlin’s primary western propaganda outlet RT, matches to his record of supporting Russian interests with blind loyalty. Seeing as Russia is a top U.S. adversary, Assange’s conduct should be regarded as covert hostile activity against the United States.
President Trump isn’t the real collusion story, Assange is. We should hold him to account for it.
