WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has reached a plea agreement with the Biden administration that will allow him to avoid imprisonment in the United States. According to newly filed federal court documents, Assange has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged involvement in one of the largest breaches of classified US government material.

Plea Deal Details

Under the terms of the agreement, Justice Department prosecutors will seek a 62-month sentence. This duration matches the time Assange has already served in a high-security prison in London while contesting extradition to the US. With this plea deal, Assange will receive credit for the time served, enabling his immediate return to Australia, his home country.

However, the plea deal still requires approval from a federal judge before it can be finalized.

Background on Charges

Assange faced an 18-count indictment from 2019 for his alleged role in the breach, which carried a potential maximum sentence of up to 175 years in prison, although it was unlikely he would have received the full sentence. The US pursued Assange for publishing confidential military records provided by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010 and 2011.

US officials accused Assange of encouraging Manning to acquire thousands of pages of unfiltered US diplomatic cables, significant activity reports related to the Iraq War, and information about Guantanamo Bay detainees. These publications allegedly endangered confidential sources and sensitive military operations.

Diplomatic Efforts and Opposition

In recent months, President Joe Biden has hinted at a potential deal, influenced by appeals from Australian government officials seeking Assange’s return to Australia. Despite opposition from FBI and Justice Department officials, who insisted on a felony guilty plea, a compromise was reached to facilitate Assange’s release.

Legal Battles

Last month, a UK court ruled in favor of Assange’s right to appeal his final challenge against extradition to the US, marking a significant victory in his long-standing legal battle to avoid prosecution in the United States for his alleged crimes.

Assange’s plea deal marks a pivotal moment in a saga that has spanned over a decade. With the agreement now pending judicial approval, Assange is on the brink of concluding his prolonged legal and diplomatic ordeal, ready to return to his homeland.

CNN abruptly cut off Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt during a live interview on Monday morning. The incident occurred just days before the network is set to host the first presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

The interview began with anchor Kasie Hunt asking Leavitt about Trump’s strategy for the upcoming debate in Atlanta, Georgia. Leavitt started by asserting that Trump is well-prepared and doesn’t need to rely on advisors for what to say, contrasting this with her depiction of Biden’s approach.

“President Trump is well-prepared ahead of Thursday’s debates. Unlike Joe Biden, he doesn’t have to hide away and have his advisors tell him what to say. President Trump knows what he wants to say,” Leavitt stated.

Leavitt then shifted the conversation to the debate environment, expressing concerns about potential bias from CNN’s moderators, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

“That’s why President Trump is knowingly going into a hostile environment on this very network on CNN with debate moderators who have made their opinions about him very well-known over the past eight years in their biased coverage of him,” she said.

Hunt quickly responded, defending her colleagues as “professionals” and proceeded to play a series of clips showing Trump’s previous comments about debate moderators. As Leavitt attempted to interject, reiterating her point about bias, Hunt repeatedly interrupted her.

“Ma’am, we’re going to stop right there if you’re going to keep attacking my colleagues,” Hunt said firmly. “I would like to talk about Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who you work for.”

Shortly after, Hunt abruptly ended the interview. “I’m sorry guys … Karoline thank you very much for your time. You’re welcome to come back at any time,” she declared before cutting the feed.

Hunt later defended her decision on social media, writing on X, “You come on my show, you respect my colleagues. Period. I don’t care what side of the aisle you stand on, as my track record clearly shows.”

This incident has added fuel to the already intense anticipation surrounding the upcoming presidential debate. Both Trump and Biden are scheduled to take the stage in Atlanta on Thursday, with CNN’s moderators expected to play a pivotal role in guiding the discussion.

Leavitt’s abrupt cut-off has drawn mixed reactions from viewers and political commentators. Some criticized CNN for silencing a campaign spokesperson, while others supported Hunt’s stance on maintaining respect for her colleagues.

The debate on Thursday is expected to be a crucial moment in the 2024 presidential race, with both candidates facing off on various pressing issues. The incident on Monday has set the stage for what promises to be a highly charged and closely watched event.

Sen. Lindsey Graham has suggested that President Joe Biden could be subject to criminal charges over the murder of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by an illegal alien.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at the University of Georgia, was brutally killed while out running by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal alien from Venezuela. Ibarra had been allowed into the country by the Biden administration.

In an interview with Fox News, Graham indicated that Biden could face criminal prosecution if the Supreme Court does not rule there is presidential immunity.

“The border is beyond broken. You have wars in Ukraine. You have the Mideast on fire. When it comes to enforcing the law, Joe Biden has been beyond reckless. He’s taken a parole statute that’s limited in nature and has given a million people parole when, on average, the Trump and [Obama] administrations gave 5,600 people parole. Laken Riley’s murderer was paroled because they had lack of capacity in El Paso,” Graham explained.

He added, “All these women who have been raped and murdered have one thing in common: the people that killed them, raped them, and murdered them were in our custody and let go, I think illegally. So Joe Biden better hope and pray there’s presidential immunity because when he allowed the killer of Laken Riley to be released on parole because of lack of capacity, I think he’s subject not only to a lawsuit but criminal prosecution if there’s not presidential immunity.”

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said President Biden should “pray” for presidential immunity over his border policies that Graham said have opened the doors to violent illegal immigrants to carry out rapes and murders against Americans.

“Joe Biden better hope and pray there’s presidential immunity, because when he allowed the killer of Laken Riley to be released on parole because of lack of capacity, I think he’s subject not only to lawsuit, but criminal prosecution – if there’s not presidential immunity,” Graham said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Graham’s comment came amid discussion about the Democratic Party’s increased criticism of the Supreme Court, including Biden saying earlier this month that the “Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today,” and the Senate possibly enforcing an ethics code on SCOTUS.

The Republican senator argued that Democrats are attacking the high court to protect Biden’s record in office, including immigration policies that have led to more than 7 million illegal immigrants crossing the border.

Graham cited the murder of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was discovered beaten to death in February after going for a run on the University of Georgia campus. The Augusta University student crossed paths with illegal immigrant Jose Antonio Ibarra, according to authorities, and died from blunt force trauma to the head.

During his State of the Union address earlier this year, Biden acknowledged that Riley had been murdered by an “illegal” but refused to take responsibility for her death.

However, following backlash from open border activists, Biden apologized for his remarks, insisting that he should have used the term “undocumented” instead. “I’m not gonna treat any of these people with disrespect,” Biden said of illegal aliens. “They built this country.”

The tragic case of Laken Riley has intensified the debate over immigration policy and the responsibilities of the federal government in ensuring public safety. Critics argue that the current administration’s policies have made the country less safe, while supporters contend that compassionate immigration practices are necessary and humane.

The legal implications for President Biden remain uncertain, but the conversation surrounding presidential accountability and immigration policy continues to be a significant and contentious issue.