The delegation of Australian politicians travelling to Washington DC to advocate for Julian Assange’s release will meet with conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr and several other US politicians.
That’s according to a spokesperson for the Assange campaign, who said meetings had been lined up with Kennedy — a candidate for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination, and a prominent conspiracy theorist known for spreading coronavirus vaccine disinformation — and other politicians. The others include Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, and Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna.
The meeting with Khanna seems to have been arranged in recent days — Crikey contacted his office last week to ask if he had been contacted by the delegation about setting up a meeting.
“We haven’t been approached by anyone,” Khanna’s communications director said in an email last Tuesday.
Many of the US politicians due to meet the delegation have expressed strong support for Assange, including RFK Jr and Ramaswamy, who have both said they would release Assange if they were elected president.
The Australian delegation is made up of former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, independent MP Monique Ryan, Liberal Senator Alex Antic, Labor MP Tony Zappia, and Greens senators David Shoebridge and Peter Whish-Wilson.
The delegation will hold a press conference outside the US Department of Justice on Thursday morning, Australian time. The Assange campaign said US ambassador Kevin Rudd would host a reception for the delegation at Australia’s DC embassy.
Rudd recently said the pursuit of Assange had gone on “for too long”, and that he would work “effectively, which usually means silently”, to advocate for Assange’s release, the Australian Associated Press reported.
“The aim of the delegation is to secure the release of Julian Assange, and I think how they go about that is taking the concern of the Australian people to Washington,” Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton told Crikey when news of the delegation broke.
“Speaking to the State Department, speaking to the Department of Justice, congresspeople and senators, communicating to them that this vengeful prosecution — or persecution — of Julian isn’t doing them any favours abroad. Particularly in Australia which is one of their closest allies.”
When Crikey published that article, we had been told the entire delegation would have their flights paid for by the Assange campaign. Since then, Crikey has learnt that Ryan will pay for her own flights. The Assange campaign is paying for everyone’s accommodation in Washington.
The trip, which runs from Wednesday to Thursday, was marked by a full-page ad in The Washington Post, featuring the signatures of 64 Australian parliamentarians and a message calling for Assange’s freedom.
What can Australia do to put pressure on the US to free Julian Assange? Let us know your thoughts by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
