Julian Assange: Reporters are letting Hillary Clinton 'put nooses around everyone's necks' - newsboard

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Wednesday shot back at claims that he is meddling in the US election in favour of Donald Trump.

Speaking with    the New York Times on Facebook Live, Assange scoffed at the assertion that Donald Trump and Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein were   unwitting Russian agents being unknowingly manipulated by the Russians, an allegation put forward by top officials like former CIA deputy director Michael Morell.

Assange accused Clinton of “whipping up a neo-McCarthyist hysteria about Russia.”

“What kind of press environment is this going to lead to post election?” Assange asked.

He continued: “The American liberal press, in falling over themselves to defend Hillary Clinton, are erecting a demon that is going to put nooses around everyone’s necks as soon as she wins the election, which is almost certainly what she’s going to do.”

In recent months, WikiLeaks has played a controversial and outsize role in the US presidential election.

Days before the Democratic National Convention in July, WikiLeaks released hacked internal Democratic National Committee emails showing top DNC staffers criticising and considering political action against Clinton primary opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders. The leaks led to a wave of convention protests and  eventual resignations   from top DNC officials.

And earlier this month, Assange promised another round of Clinton-related document released before the election, while the organisation offered money for leaked information on both Clinton and Trump.

Some critics have accused Assange and WikiLeaks of maintaining an anti-Clinton bias that in essence supports Trump, though Assange has likened the election to a choice between “cholera and gonorrhea.” Informal Trump advisor Roger Stone   also claims   to have been in indirect contact with Assange, whom he called a “hero” in August.

In Wednesday’s interview, Assange denied that he was defending Trump by claiming that the Republican presidential candidate had no significant financial ties to Russia.

Wiki Leaks   has also been criticized for seemingly politicizing the death of DNC staffer Seth Rich after the organisation offered a cash reward for information on his death, insinuating a potential conspiracy despite no evidence to support political foul play in his death.