Hours after WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange struck a plea deal with the Justice Department for his alleged role in the historic government data breach, former Vice President Mike Pence responded to the news in a lengthy X post.
“Julian Assange endangered the lives of our troops in a time of war and should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Pence wrote.
“The Biden administration’s plea deal with Assange is a miscarriage of justice and dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families.”
“There should be no plea deals to avoid prison for anyone that endangers the security of our military or the national security of the United States. Ever,” he continued.
Julian Assange endangered the lives of our troops in a time of war and should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Biden administration’s plea deal with Assange is a miscarriage of justice and dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our…
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) June 25, 2024
Once again, Pence exposed his true colors and suffered an immediate and brutal response on X.
Roger Stone responded to Pence by writing:
“Bulls**t! Julian Assange exposed the corruption of you and your cronies.”
Now we know who CNN “reliable sources” were
— Emy 4 Trump 🧜🏼♀️⚔️ (@EMastrro) June 25, 2024
Tulsi Gabbard reacted with the phrase, “Julian Assange is free,” adding, “This should never have happened, but finally.”
This should never have happened, but finally, Julian Assange is free.#freepress #firstamendement pic.twitter.com/8inNpvknxu
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) June 25, 2024
Assange’s wife Stella also wrote:
“Julian is free!!!!”
“Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU- yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. tHANK YOU. THANK YOU,” she added.
Julian is free!!!!
— Stella Assange #FreeAssangeNOW (@Stella_Assange) June 25, 2024
Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU- yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. tHANK YOU. THANK YOU.
Follow @WikiLeaks for more info soon…pic.twitter.com/gW4UWCKP44
Assange will plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose information related to national defense.
“It’s good news that the DOJ is putting an end to this embarrassing saga,” director of advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation Seth Stern told Fox News.
“But it’s alarming that the Biden administration felt the need to extract a guilty plea for the purported crime of obtaining and publishing government secrets.”
“The plea deal won’t have the precedential effect of a court ruling, but it will still hang over the heads of national security reporters for years to come.”
The deal will allow Assange to avoid imprisonment. However, a judge must approve the guilty plea first.
The news comes months after Joe Biden said he was considering a request from Australia to drop the U.S. push to prosecute Assange.
Assange has spent the last five years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States.
You mean he exposed US Government war crimes and corruption. Take a seat Traitor Judas Pence. No one is ever buying the narratives ever again, it’s over. https://t.co/hY1v9DKBsN
— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) June 25, 2024
The Wikileaks founder took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years after Swedish authorities sought his arrest on rape allegations
However, the Ecuadorian government eventually withdrew Assange’s asylum claim, citing irritation at his alleged behavior inside the embassy, which led to his arrest.
Rep. Thomas Massie used the news to call for the immediate pardon of whistleblowers Edward Snowden and Ross Ulbricht,
“[Assange’s] liberation is great news, but it’s a travesty that he’s already spent so much time in jail,” Massie said on X.
“Obama, Trump, & Biden should have never pursued this prosecution.”
“Pardon Snowden & Free Ross now,” he posted.
READ: New Evidence Shows Hunter Biden Sold Access to ‘Family’s Only Asset’