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I don't expect @realDonaldTrump will pardon Julian Assange but here are some reasons why he SHOULD do it and drop the DoJ prosecution of the @wikileaks founder...
1. Trump's enemies claim he is anti-media but they still don't speak up for Assange. He calls the MSM Fake News. Pardoning Assange would give him credibility & expose their double standards.
2. Many Trump voters from 2016 had favourable views of WikiLeaks. Many are just tuning back into politics now and will be confused by Trump's DoJ extradition case. It looks hypocritical. It is.
3. Trump needs to urgently lift the lid on Durham's #Russiagate investigation. That includes admitting Russia was not Assange's source (and maybe Seth Rich was). Again confusing "bad optics" if Trump is still prosecuting Assange.
4. Brennan, McCabe and others need to be arrested. Assange can be a key player in the cases against them. Trump needs to show he is finally "draining the swamp". Needs to draw a clear line.
5. Four years since #DNCleaks & the Democrats have only doubled down on their corruption & attacked Assange with lies. #PodestaEmails etc still contain lots of useful ammunition for Trump to use (again). "I love WikiLeaks!"
6. Trump can rightly claim that it was Obama who set up the Grand Jury investigation of WikiLeaks & readied a sealed indictment. He can say he stayed uninvolved till now but it's time to end this attack on journalism. Wipes his hands clean.
7. If Trump goes ahead with the UK extradition it will be hugely embarrassing to him, the UK, and Australia. If UK deny the extradition it's even more embarrassing for him. Either way, does he really want that legacy? #FreeAssange
8. Finally, Trump should end the US persecution of Assange simply because it is the decent thing to do. Julian and his family have suffered terribly for nearly ten years. Enough is enough! Do the right thing. #FreeAssangeNOW
9. One last depressing thought. If Trump drops the US extradition case today it still gives Sweden two days left to reopen their farcical "case" before the ten year statute if limitations expires. Surely not???
10. So Trump pardoned a dead woman instead & her estate want him to rescind it because she is not a criminal. Actually another reason he might want to pardon Assange: it leaves the "hacking' crime hanging over him, just like the Swedish allegations. https://twitter.com/News_8/status/1295742870557777921?s=20
11. Another good reason for Trump to pardon Assange: he is currently in legal limbo. The judge just said he needs to be "re-arrested" for the superceding indictment that US prosecutors, who didn't even turn up in court, still have not filed properly. He should not be in jail!
