Chris Hayes on Julian Assange from Today's Show

[Spider Jerusalem]

26. No, but I think you're apparently being deliberately ignorant

why go through the charade of extraditing Assange first to Sweden and THEN to the US? Why not extradite him from the UK? The UK is America's closest ally. Her Majesty's Government has shown a willingness and readiness to extradite suspects in the past. Look up Gary McKinnon and then tell me you think they wouldn't extradite Assange. And the Swedes can't offer to not extradite; there's no basis, legally, for abrogating their responsibilities under the extradition treaty in one particular instance, should the US present a properly executed warrant seeking extradition. The US/Sweden extradition treaty in any case bars extradition of persons wanted for political crimes.

And Assange is being disingenuous when he says he's invited the Swedes to interview him in the Ecuadorean embassy. He is not wanted for questioning in the sense of "being interviewed by police". He is wanted for interrogation before a magistrate, prior to being charged and tried. This is equivalent to an arraignment in common law countries (of which Sweden is not one).

I can only presume that you're deliberately ignorant in order to maintain your negative and paranoid view of the US government?