The Pomp Podcast
#461 Chamira Gamage on Potential Pardon for Julian Assange
- Julian Assange's background as a publisher and journalist who created WikiLeaks to release confidential government documents in the public interest.
- Assange's asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years, his arrest in 2019, and current imprisonment in Belmarsh prison awaiting extradition trial.
- The distinction between Assange's work and mainstream journalism; the Obama administration declined to prosecute him citing the "New York Times problem."
- Charges against Assange include conspiracy to hack, skipping bail, and espionage—the first time the US has charged a journalist under espionage law in 102 years.
- Assange faces up to 175 years if extradited and convicted; a verdict is expected around January 4th with potential pardons or appeals as possible outcomes.
- Thinkrs.io, a blockchain-based platform designed to combat misinformation by helping users critically analyze news sources and reward quality journalism.