Thread by @jamesdoleman

Mark Summers QC for Mr Assange continues his examination of Professor Felstein.
The witness confirms he wrote a book about President Nixon trying to prosecute a journalist called Jack Anderson.
#Assange

Feldstein says that an attempt by the US government to prosecute Anderson under the espionage act failed as publishing classified information was not a crime.
The administration then tried to smear him, and there was discussion in the White House of poisoning him.

Summers moves on to the charge that #Assange, "solicited classified documents," Feldstein says this "paints journalistic activities in a very nefarious light, we teach acquiring secret documents in journalism, school this in journalism school."

The witness says he himself has worked with contacts and sources to obtain information, "It's standard journalistic practice."

Asked about #Assange helping Manning hide that he was his source, the witness says protecting a source is an obligation for reporters and that journalists have gone to jail rather than reveal them.

Feldstein says governments often classify information because it is embarrassing not because it is a threat to national security.
#Assange

Summers asks the judge if he can ask a question that is not covered by the witnesses statement, she agrees to allow it,
#Assange

The prosecution say they will be raising the issue in their cross-examination so the defence can then re-examine on the issue.
#Assange

Defence now ask the witness why #Assange was not prosecuted by the Obama administration, Feldstein says they were keen to but were told by the justice department is would have been "unconstitutional."
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"It would also create a dangerous precedent which could apply to thousands of journalists and publications,"
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The Trump administration wanted a "head on a spike," to deter leakers and put pressure on the Justice Department to prosecute #Assange Feldstein tells the court.

Feldstein is now being cross-examined by James Lewis for the US Government, he begins by questioning the witness describing himself as an "expert witness."
#Assange

Lewis puts it to the witness that his only source on a conspiracy by the Trump administration is open-sourced newspaper articles and that the US investigation had continued through both administrations.
#Assange

Feldstein replies that "the proof is in the pudding, they didn't indict him," Lewis interrupts, the defence objects and the judge tells the prosecution QC to let the witness answer the question.
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James Lewis QC challenges professor Feldstein describing himself as an “unbiased expert witness,” saying that his written statement showed he had failed to quote parts of newspaper articles that contradicted his evidence.
#Assange

Feldstein replies, "the proof is in the pudding, they [the Obama admininstration] did not indict.
#Assange

Slight delay as professor Feldstein's phone goes off and he has to leave the field of the video camera to turn it off.
#Assange

Judge reminds prosecution counsel again that he should not interrupt and allow the witness to finish his answer to questions.

Lewis raises 2016 tweet from Wikileaks that said if Chelsea Manning was given clemency #Assange would hand himself over, which, he said, shows he knew there will still active proceedings.
Feldstein says he only saw that tweet last night and "it didn't make much of an impression."

Prosecution counsel suggests "can anyone on the defence team say in good faith that there was a decision not to prosecute #Assange in 2013?"
The witness says he has no knowledge of that.

Lewis suggests that Feldstein had engaged in a "diatribe against President Trump, and would he not apologise?"

The witness replies that he didn't understand the question as it was a "double negative."

"I'll leave it there," prosecution counsel says.

#Assange

Prosecution counsel suggests that the difference between #Assange and the New York Times publishing the same information was that the newspaper received the information "passively," and that a journalist has no immunity for a crime just because he wants a story?

Court takes a 10 minute break