Fake news? Perhaps.
The London Guardian published a report on Tuesday that alleged former campaign manager for Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, held “secret talks” with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy. One such meeting occurred around the same time Manafort joined the Trump campaign.
Here is the primary part of the story:
“Sources have said Manafort went to see Assange in 2013, 2015 and in spring 2016 – during the period when he was made a key figure in Trump’s push for the White House. It is unclear why Manafort wanted to see Assange and what was discussed. But the last meeting is likely to come under scrutiny and could interest Robert Mueller, the special prosecutor who is investigating alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.”
As usual with these stories, it was based on anomyous sources. Interestingly enough, the newspaper suggested that it was just based on rumor since there was no record of Manafort visiting the embassy in 2016.
When the newspaper reveals that it got the story wrong, it will most likely be swept under the rug.
Meanwhile, WikiLeaks responded to the report in a tweet:
“Remember this day when the Guardian permitted a serial fabricator to totally destroy the paper’s reputation. @WikiLeaks is willing to bet the Guardian a million dollars and its editor’s head that Manafort never met Assange.”
It also spotted this interesting revision: the headline went from “Manafort held secret talks with Assange in Ecuadorian embassy” to “Manafort held secret talks with Assange in Ecuadorian embassy, sources say.”
Leave a Comment