Transcripts For KCSM Democracy Now 20160205

Repeatedly sparred last night days ahead of tuesdays primary. They debated over a money and politics, what it means to be a progressive, and their opposing views on the iraq war. Then the United Nations rules in favor of wikileaks founder Julian Assange. It should be brought to an end. Amy as a United Nations panel rules assange should be allowed to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in london, we will hear assange s response. Being detained now without charge in this country, the United Kingdom, for 5. 5 years. Today, that detention without charge has been found by the highest organization in the United Nations to be unlawful. Amy in addition to Julian Assange and his lawyers, we will speak to a former human repertoire on arbitrary detention. All of that and more coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Democratic president ial candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton squared off thursday in a heated debate over the role of money in politics. The debate took place in New Hampshire days before tuesdays primary there. Sanders repeatedly questioned clintons progressive credentials while clinton , accused her opponent of an artful smear in suggesting she could be bought by political donations. Well have more on the debate after headlines. A United Nations panel has officially concluded wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been arbitrarily detained and should be allowed to walk free. Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in london for more than three years. He wants to avoid extradition to sweden over sex crimes allegations, which he has repeatedly denied. And for which he is never been charged. He fears sweden would extradite him to the United States, where he could face trial for wikileaks revelations. The u. N. Panels judgment is not legally binding. British foreign secretary Philip Hammond dismissed it as ridiculous. Julian assange spoke just before our broadcast today. We will bring you excellence of what Julian Assange had to say as well as his lawyers and we will go to oxford to speak with a former u. N. Repertory on arbitrary detention. Its firstas confirmed three deaths of patients infected with the zika virus who had contracted guillainbarre syndrome an apparently connected disease that causes paralysis. Colombia has recorded about 100 cases of the syndrome believed to be linked to zika. Overall, colombia has confirmed more than 20,000 zika cases. Meanwhile, spain has confirmed zika in a pregnant woman, marking the first known case in europe. Here in the United States, Florida Governor rick scott has declared a state of emergency in five counties affected by the virus. All of the florida cases were contracted abroad. The United States has embraced an offer by saudi arabia to join ground operations against the selfproclaimed Islamic State in syria. The news comes as peace talks on the fiveyear syrian conflict have broken down. White House Press Secretary josh earnest said he hoped the talks would begin again by the end of february. Whohe u. N. Representative has been responsible for trying to mediate these discussions did announce he talks have been paused. He has used that terminology primarily because he expects the talks to resume before the end of the month. And we are obviously hopeful that that will happen, and were going to continue to try to encourage both sides. Encourage both sides in that direction. Amy the aid Group Mercy Corps says intensified fighting and airstrikes have cut off the main humanitarian supply route to the syrian city of aleppo. Turkeys Prime Minister warned up to 70,000 people may be fleeing to the turkish border. The United States has called for russia to halt its Bombing Campaign in syria immediately. In australia, thousands of people rallied across the country to protest plans to deport nearly 270 asylum seekers, including 37 babies, to the Island Country of nauru. The protests came after a court upheld australias offshore detention of asylum seekers. Meanwhile in the United States a , bill passed by a House Committee in florida would allow the Florida Governor to use military force to block refugees from entering or resettling in the state. In egypt, an italian phd student has been found dead, his body half naked and covered with apparent signs of torture. Giulio regeni went missing on january 25, the fifth anniversary of the revolution that ousted hosni mubarak. He had reportedly written about egyptian labor unions for an italian newspaper, using a pseudonym over safety concerns. His body showed signs of cigarette burns and head injuries associated with abuses by Egyptian Security forces. Newly released emails show top officials in michigan governor rick snyders office knew of a spike in legionnaires disease linked to flints contaminated water long before Governor Snyder told the public. Last month, snyder said he had only learned of the surge a couple of days prior. But emails released by progress michigan show snyders office knew of the outbreak last march. Nearly a year ago. The Michigan Democratic party has joined calls for snyder to resign. The water crisis began after an unelected emergency manager appointed by Governor Snyder switched flints water to the corrosive flint river. In other news from michigan, a judge has sentenced former Inkster Police officer William Melendez to at least 13 months and up to 10 years in prison for pummeling unarmed africanamerican floyd dent in the head 16 times during a traffic stop last year. Melendez, nicknamed robocop, has been sued repeatedly for excessive force. Judge evans spoke for nearly 30 minutes at melendezs sentencing wednesday. The one image that struck out to the court was looking at mr. Dent in his cell shaking his in disbelief of what had occurred to him. Was indicative of what he was thinking, i would have thought this what crime did i commit . Being a black man and a cadillac, stopped for a minor Traffic Offense by a group of racist Police Officers looking amy the state department has found a dozen emails containing classified information sent to the personal email accounts of former republican secretary of state colin powell and top aides of his successor, condoleeza rice. Powell received two classified emails, while rices aides received 10. Powell disputed the classification of the messages, telling nbc news i wish they would release them so that a normal, airbreathing mammal would look at them and say, whats the issue . the review is part of the fallout over Hillary Clintons use of a private email server as secretary of state. Protests against the Transpacific Partnership trade deal continue after the 12nation pact was signed thursday in new zealand. And washington, d. C. Two cancer , patients were arrested after linking arms and refusing to leave the lobby of the building that houses phrma, the trade association that has pressed for expanded monopolies in the tpp. Zahara heckscher spoke as she was arrested. Im here to Tell Congress [indiscernible] it would make cancer medicines even more expensive. We cant afford the tpp. People with cancer cant afford the tpp. It is a lifeanddeath issue. Amy to hear the full interview, you can go to democracynow. Org. In other news from the pharmaceutical industry, the former Hedge Fund Manager dubbed the most hated man in america after he hiked the price of a lifesaving drug by more than 5000 , has refused to testify before congress. Martin shkreli founded turing pharmaceuticals, which purchased the drug daraprim and hiked the price from 13. 50 to 750. He was questioned thursday by members of a House Committee, including utah congressmember jason chaffetz. What do you say to that pregnant woman who might have needs no income, and she this drug in order to survive . What do you say to her when she has to make that choice . On the advice of counsel, i invoke my fifth amendment and respectfully decline to answer your question. Amy after refusing to answer any questions, Martin Shkreli took to twitter, writing hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government. Shkreli is out on 5 million bail on unrelated charges of cheating hedge fund investors. Two antichoice activists behind the secretly filmed, heavily edited planned parenthood videos have turned themselves in to authorities and posted bond. David daleiden and Sandra Merritt were charged in connection with videos that were edited to falsely accuse planned parenthood of profiting off donations of fetal tissue. Last week, a grand jury in texas tasked with investigating planned parenthood instead decided to indict the antichoice activists. David daleidens attorney has said he will reject a proposed plea deal. Harvard medical School Students have delivered a petition to their administration calling for more diversity, including a new dean with a commitment to social justice. Out of 165 students in harvard medical schools current firstyear class, only two identify as black women. And in an update to a story weve been following on democracy now , an undocumented guatemalan man who was recovering from a gangrene infection he contracted while in immigration custody has been deported. Angel rosa, father of four u. S. Born children, says he was kept in a cell with an overflowing toilet, prevented from showering and then placed , in solitary confinement. He contracted a gangrene infection which caused his rectum to swell shut. Rosa was deported wednesday, a day after advocates and attorneys filed a medical neglect complaint now under review by the department of homeland security. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. In their most heated debate of the campaign, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and vermont senator Bernie Sanders sparred last night in New Hampshire days ahead of tuesdays primary. Sanders repeatedly questioned clintons progressive credentials while clinton , accused her opponent of an artful smear in suggesting she could be bought by political donations. Amy the most Heated Exchange during the msnbc debate began after Bernie Sanders accused Hillary Clinton of being part of the political establishment. Rachel, yes, secretary clinton does represent the establishment. I represent come i hope, ordinary americans. And by the way, who are not all that enamored with the establishment, but im very proud to have people like keith , theon in the house cochairman of the house progressive caucus. I have to jump in here because, honestly, senator sanders is the only person who i think would characterize me, a woman running to be the first woman president , as exemplifying the establishment. And ive got to tell you [applause] really it is really quite amusing to me. Being part of the establishment is, is in the last quarter, having a super pac that raised 15 million from wall street, that throughout ones life raised a whole lot of money from the Drug Companies and other special interests. To my mind, if we do not get a handle on money and politics and the degree to which big money controls the political process in this country, nobody is going to bring about the changes that is needed in this country for the middle class and working families. Yeah, but i think it is fair to really ask what is behind that comment. You know, senator sanders has said he wants to run a positive campaign. Ive tried to keep my disagreements over issues, as it should be. But time and time again, by innuendo, by insinuation, there is this attack that he is putting forth, which really comes down to you know, anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any Interest Group has to be bought. And i just absolutely reject that, senator. And i really dont think these kinds of attacks by insinuation are worthy of you. And enough is enough. If youve got something to say, say it directly. But you will not find that i ever changed the view or a vote because of any donation that i ever received. And i have stood up and i have represented my constituents to the best of my abilities, and im very proud of that. Know so i think it is time to end the very artful smooth that you and your campaign have been carrying out in recent weeks, and lets talk about the issues will stop lets talk about the issues that divide us. Quick lets talk about ok lets talk we both agree with Campaign Finance reform. Lets talk about issues. I want to reverse citizens united. Lets talk about issues. All right, lets talk about why in the 1990s, wall street got deregulated. Did it have anything to do with the fact that wall street provided spend billions of dollars on lobbying and Campaign Contributions . Well, some people might think, yeah, that had some influence. That we pay, does by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, and your medicine can be doubled tomorrow and theres nothing that the government can do to stop it. You think it has anything to do with the huge amounts of Campaign Contributions and lobbying from the also feel industry . Lets talk about Climate Change. Do you think there is a reason why not one republican has the guts to recognize that Climate Change is real, and that we need to transform our Energy System . Do you think it has anything to do with the Koch Brothers and exxonmobil pouring huge amounts of money into the political system . That is what goes on in america. I am not [applause] there is a reason. You know, there is a reason why these people are putting huge amounts of money into our political system. And in my view, it is undermining american democracy and it is allowing congress to represent wealthy Campaign Contributors and not the working families of this country. Amy that is Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton debating for the first time oneonone in New Hampshire before next tuesdays primary. To talk more about thursdays debate and the overall democratic debate, we are joined by two guests. Bertha lewis, is the founder of the black institute and cofounder of new york working families party. She is also the former head organizer and ceo of acorn. She has just endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. This is her first broadcast appearance to do that. Lee fang is an investigative journalist at the intercept, covering the intersection of money and politics. He is joining us from san francisco. Overall, your response . This issue that were just laying the first excerpt of around whether Hillary Clinton represents the establishment, and most important, the significance of money and politics, bertha lewis . Thank you, amy, thank you ,juan, for having me. It has been a while since i have been here and i am happy to be here. But this is what really disturbs me, and it can i say the word pisses me off . That somehow or another, you know, i believe this innuendo i do believe it is this artful somehowece is that people are not complex. You know, are you a true progressive, art you a true progressive, establishment if i close my eyes, and sounds like what the republicans do. I am a black woman in america. Conservative, sometimes i am liberal, sometimes i am progressive, sometimes i am a socialist, and sometimes i am radical. So if you want to talk to me as a voter, then you need to see me not as some monolithic thing, but also, if you want to go against an opponent that is running, then this label establishment, moderate, to me, it is just like doing what the republicans do. And we can only do with folks if we put them in a nice, neat little box. Lee fang , what about what has come fort in the last week or so, who is more progressive . Do you think it matters . As bertha said, this is an attempt to pigeonhole people improperly . Thank you so much again for having me. Last nights debate was really heartand getting to the of what the Democratic Party means, i think it is a very healthy debate. It is a little bit silly to obsess over titles or names. The Hillary Clinton did call herself a moderate last year, now she cultures of a progressive. But on an issue by issue basis, having a big discussion on, what does the Democratic Party stand for . What are the issues . Is it a party that just includes people who are not republicans . Are there actual issues that make up the core of what a democrat stands for . That is an interesting debate. Theres also a larger existential issue, are democrats should they be reliant on the same bigmoney system that has propped up the Republican Party . Should democrats be going to the same bigmoney donors, relying on the same bigmoney super pacs , relying on the same network of lobbyists to prop them up to fund their campaigns . That is a good question. This is an important discussion will step i think not just for Democratic Party, but for the country as a whole. This is the kind of critical issue for the 21st century in the area of citizens united, in the era of big Money Laundering lobbying and d. C. , this is what many policies handson. As Bernie Sanders articulated pretty well, whether it is our tax policy, wall street policy, Climate Change, a lot of these issues it is been very difficult to have reform when the incumbent industries that gain from the status quo have a lot of politicians in their pocket and have a lot of control over the political process. Amy were going to take a break and then come back to this discussion of play highlights of the debate. Then were going to go to england where a u. N. Committee has just found that Julian Assange should be able to walk free in britain, that he should not be arrested, that he has essentially been arbitrarily detained. Were talking to bertha lewis of the black institute and lee fang intercept. And stic stay with us. [music break] amy earth, wind, and fire. Its founder murrays white has died at the age of 74. He had parkinsons. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. During last ice debate, msnbc host Rachel Maddow asked secretary Hillary Clinton if perhaps she was too dismissive of voters as it over the sizable speaking fees she been paid by Goldman Sachs. What i want people to know is, i went to wall street before the crash. I was the one saying, youre going to wreck the economy because of these shenanigans with mortgages. I called into the loophole that Hedge Fund Managers enjoy. I changed dust suggested changes in ceo compensation. Let me say this. Wall street is perhaps the most powerful economic and Political Force in this country. You have Companies Like Goldman Sachs who just recently paid a settlement fun with the federal government for 5 billion for defrauding investors. Goldman sachs was one of those Companies Whose illegal activity helped destroy our economy and run the lives of millions of americans. But this is what a rigged economy and a corrupt campaignfinance system and a broken criminal Justice System is about. , thatguys are so powerful not one of the executives on wall street has been charged with anything after paying, in this case of Goldman Sachs, a 5 billion fine. A kid gets caught with marijuana, that kid has a police record. A wall street executive destroys the economy, 5 million settlement with the government, no criminal record. That is what howard is about. That is what corruption is about. And that is what has to change in the United States of america. Juan chuck todd further pushed the issue of secretary clintons paid speeches. Are you willing to release the transcripts of all of your paid speeches . We do know through reporting their were Transcription Services for all of those paid speeches grateful disclosure, would you release all of them . I will get to it. I dont know the status, but i will look into it. I can only repeat what is the fact, that i spoke to a lot of different groups with a lot of different constituents, a lot of different kinds of members about issues that had to do it world affairs. Now if all were going to talk about is one part of our economy and indeed, one streak in our economy, we are missing the big energy companies. We are missing the big picture. And i have a record of trying to go at the problem that actually exist, and a will continue to do that. Juan that was secretary clinton and senator Bernie Sanders last night in the debate in New Hampshire. Lee fang, what about this whole issue of the patent speaking engagements and Goldman Sachs . How important is that or do you think it has been blown over by Bernie Sanders or overblown by Bernie Sanders . Well, i was very happy to see chuck todd and Rachel Maddow press the issue. When i asked secretary clinton almost the same question two weeks ago, she just laughed at me and turned away. This time on network television, she gave a more full answer and she still kind of dodged and said she would look into it, but this is a very important question i think. It is unprecedented for a president ial candidate to have enriched him or herself to the degree that Hillary Clinton did out of office. Bill and Hillary Clinton made over 115 million on the page speaking circuit since 2001. That is a lot of money. A lot of these copies and Interest Groups that pay them are going to be seeking favors from government. Goldman sachs is very famous for using its influence with legislators, lobbyists to have access to regulators. So i think it is fair to ask. Hillary clinton, i think, has given an insufficient answer to this question over the years. She said the reason amy i want to play that clip when you did as killer clinton this question, what you addressed her at a town hall in manchester, asking her if she would the transcripts of her paid speeches to Goldman Sachs. This is what her response was. Secretary clinton, will you release the transcripts of your paid speeches to Goldman Sachs . [laughter] no . Theres a lot of controversy. Secretary, is that a no . , will youclinton release the transcripts of your Goldman Sachs speeches . Response,aughed in but, lee, last night, she said she will look into it. Thats right. Of has given a number different responses when she has been asked about just the general issue of speaking fees. She said her and bill clinton were dead broke and they had to do the speaking fees. She is also suggested this was just an educational exercise, she just wanted to have a conversation with different groups. However, political reported at least in one speech to Goldman Sachs, she give a very tailored message. She said she is against all of this antibank populism, that she wanted to reassure the bankers that she would be more friendly to them. So i think it is very important for president who is promising or potential future president who is promising to take on wall street, and choose made over 600,000 from just this one very powerful investment bank, to at least have a little disclosure and clear the air about what she did for this money. There is still a lot of lingering questions. As Chuck Todd Megyn last night, apparently, there are transcripts of this speech. The record is out there. Juan bertha lewis, what about this issue of paid speeches and golden sachs . Again, is it being overblown . Also, how does the average voter responded this . Do you think they care . Its not that people dont care, but the fact of the matter is, she is right, this is a bigger issue. Everyone takes money. Everyone does this. Have, oh, you we enriched yourself with speaking fees. The transcripts exist, as people say they do, then bring it. Bring it on. You say, oh, can you release the transcripts . I think journalists are reporters are pendants, you can get those transcripts. Go get them and then, you said this and you said that, but this sort of, you have to go and deal with us, and quite frankly, let me just say this, if this is the worst that you got, then i am very, very happy that the democrats are having this debate as opposed to what we know are real,riminal activities, like, policies and rightwing policies on the other side. For me, my thing is this i take folks, warts and all, and then i decide. Like i said, im complex and i believe that she should be complex, be allowed to be complex, especially because she is a woman. I supported Hillary Clinton in the primary against barack obama. There is no secret of that. I own up to it. I thought they should be a ticket together, but that didnt happen. And i supported barack obama. Do i agree that i disagree with clinton on some of his policies . Hell, yeah, but in the end, my thing is this. I have three reasons, for reasons most of one, unabashedly, you want a revolution been elect the first woman president and put her in the white house and catch up with the rest of the world for decades bad women leading. Number two, whether it is republican, independence, or whatever, head and shoulders, she could step into the job from day one. Number three, for me, if im in the fight, and im in the dark, i want her. Because as she said, she has the scars. Finally, my disappointment, were my head and my heart come together, you know, i wish that Bernie Sanders had stayed here in new york and done his political career here instead of vermont where they had the roughandtumble and were wall streetwehere actually is. Number two, i wish you been on that stage and said in 2008 im going to make this case since i have been doing the same thing. So, yeah, like i say, we are complex. I dont like somethings, i disagree. But in the end, to me, to take on the real big battle that is coming, i am for Hillary Clinton up and down. Juan just a followup up, in my column today, i mentioned it is now pretty clear that no one is dismissing Bernie Sanders anymore. He is not a minor like a gaslight up from his arrival to the nomination. I never said that before. People of color that i know never did. Now, they were a little dismissive of folks of color early on. I try to engage with the sanders campaign, as a lot of my other colleagues of color did. And early on, we were dismissed. So, you know. Juan i want to ask you, you are a founder of the Workers Party and this has been a small independent party in the city, but working families has endorsed Bernie Sanders. Your concern, your difference with the party you helped found on this issue . Again, as aall, woman, as a black woman in america, am i allowed to be complex . Allowed to differ, which i think those of us on the left it is a strength of ours. You make your case. Now, the party in new york decided that the new york delegates would go along with sort of a national i didnt agree with that, but that is the party. We might argue, but we never leave. And so, again, my thing is this. I am hellbent on electing a woman like i was hellbent on electing the first black president. And i think that is the real revolution, that is the real 21st century move. You know what . Unlike the republicans and unlike people on the right, it is good to be in a family called the democratic family that can still godisagree and on. Amy i want to play more of the debate as former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and vermont senator Bernie Sanders continued to draw distinctions between one another. They faced off the issue of the iraq war vote. We differ on the war in iraq, which created barbaric organizations like isis. Not only did i vote against that war, i helped lead the opposition and if you go to my see the you will statement that i made in 2002. It gives me no pleasure to tell you much of what i feared what happened the day after Saddam Hussein was overthrown, in fact, did happen. All right, senator. If i could look, we did differ. A vote in 2002 is not a plan to defeat isis. We have to look at the threats that we face right now. Click i fully, fully concede that secretary clinton who was secretary of state for four years as more experience. That is not arguable. In foreign affairs. But experience is not the only point. Judgment is. And once again, back in 2002 when we both looked at the same evidence about the wisdom of the war in iraq, one of us voted the right way and one of us didnt. Amy during the debate, Hillary Clinton boasted she has received support from Henry Kissinger. Opportunity tohe run a big agency. I was very flattered when Henry Kissinger said iran the state Department Better than anybody had run it in a long time. So i have an idea about what it is going to take to make our government work more efficiently. Amy the issue of the war vote, lee fang, the clinton, as students were being taken out of her office protesting that night in 2002, she took to the floor, as many other republicans and some democrats did, and voted to authorize the war in iraq. How significant that is, what, 14 years later, lee fang, and that comment on Henry Kissinger support or praise . Nothing says antiestablishment like praising Henry Kissinger on stage, right . Didously, Hillary Clinton vote for the war in iraq and she defended that vote for many, many years. It wasnt until very late in the game that she kind of retracted and said it was the wrong move. I kind of wish the moderators oppressed the candidate had pressed the candidates on other issues. Hillary clinton has been very belligerent on issues from libya , joking with charlie rose about wanting to take out iran. The Obama Administration, which worked with the state department to approve just an incredible increase in arms transfers all throughout the middle east i mean, this is something we dont talk about much on broadcast news. But the Obama Administration in part with secretary clinton approved over 90 billion in weapons transfers to saudi arabia alone. We have really flooded the region with weapons, fueled conflict whether it is in iraq, syria, and beyond. So these are tough questions. I kind of wish the moderators got more specific here beyond just the iraq war vote and what to do in syria. How are you going to resolve these issues . My colleagues said, he did a , you i think a year ago know, Bernie Sanders back in 1988 he was campaigning with Jesse Jackson, the issue of israelpalestine came up. He was asked, how are we going to use our leverage to really resolve the simmering conflict that has gone on forever . Bernie sanders said, well, we could use our military support, our foreign aid to israel and say were one to withhold that aid unless israel changes its behavior. That is a pretty radical move that really could push the israelpalestine issue in the right direction, but we havent seen hims week about that him speak about that or Hillary Clinton address it except in an oped she wrote a few months ago saying she actually wanted to increase military support with israel and saying she would be a very strong ally with netanyahu. I would love to see the candidates get more specific about how they will deal with military contractors, how they will deal with foreign policy, and really talking about a whole number of votes we dont hear much of public. Hillary clinton when she was in the senate, voted for with republicans, voted for using cluster bombs in civilian areas. War voteot the iraq was not an aberration. Theres a huge pattern of votes that really show her position on foreign policy. Amy last response, bertha lewis . I agree with what mr. Fang has said. I am opposed to the iraq war. Again, i keep repeating this, but were complex animals. Politicalm in my visions. All of the facts he pointed out there amy but the deciding point is you talk about were complex people, what has made you cast your lot with Hillary Clinton the three things the four things i cited. With everything put together, like i say in 2008, i was there. Im here now. I really do really believe that when women are in office, this country is behind the rest of the planet, then we have a chance to actually fundamentally move things. Were seen it on the supreme court. We have seen it everywhere. Number two, because of this experience, mistakes, disagreement, and being involved in that arena, we can go right at her. You know, because, again, i disagree with barack obama as the reporter in chief, but that doesnt stop my support for him. And number three, you know, like i say, i wish some people have a purge from which they can be very few are and dont have to engage. For one thing and i look through a racial lens, i make no bones about that. Theres a movie coming out that has a trailer about Jesse Jackson going to germany to run in the olympics. Amy jesse owens. Jesse owens. There were white people who said, dont do, dont go. A bunch of people say, you got to do it, ignore everything else. And there is a scene in which jesse is saying, you dont know what it is like for me to have to go through this. In this white man says, i dont care. And jesse says, because you dont have to. Again, for me, you can have all of the mistakes and everything, but she is a woman, she is head and shoulders above anyone else. Come on. Amy we have to leave it there. We will continue to follow this race very closely. The primary in New Hampshire is tuesday night, bertha lewis with the black institute and new york working families party. And lee fang of the intercept. When we come back, we go across the pond to see what has happened with this u. N. Committee that has said Julian Assange should be able to walk free. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. The United Nations panel has officially concluded wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been arbitrarily detained and should be allowed to walk free. Has been holed up in Ecuadorian Embassy in london for more than three years. He wants to avoid extradition to sweden over sex crimes allegations, which is repeatedly denied and for which he is never been charged. He fears sweden would extradite him to the United States where he could face trial for wikileaks revelations. Attentionor turned should be brought to an end. His physical integrity and his freedom of movement should be respected. And finally, if necessary, he forbe entitled example, compensation. Amy the u. N. Panels judgment is not legally binding. Philip hammond dismissed it as ridiculous. I reject the finding of this working group. It is a group made up of lay people, not lawyers, and their conclusion is flawed in law. Julian assange is a fugitive from justice. He is hiding from justice in the Ecuadorian Embassy. He can come out onto the pavement any time he chooses. He is not being detained by us, but he will have to face justice in sweden if you chooses to do so. And it is right that he should not be able to escape justice. This is, frankly, ridiculous finding by the working group, and we reject it. Juan at a press conference at the Frontline Club in london this morning, Julian Assange plus attorney Melinda Taylor discussed the significance of the ruling. Finally, we have the verdict of the United Nations working group on arbitrary detention. And issued a very detailed opinion, which considers all arguments from sweden and the United Kingdom. In this decision dispels the myth that mr. Assange is either a fugitive from justice or he could just walk out of the embassy. It is a damming indictment of the matter in which this case has been handled. It further says mr. Assange is a victim of a miscarriage of justice attributable to the action and inaction of both sweden and the United Kingdom. Juliansr emphasizes willingness to cooperate with the investigations in this case at all stages of the procedure. Today im going to first address why we brought a complaint before the United Nations working group and secondly, what are the findings of this working group. In terms of why we brought the complaint, there are two main reasons. He has been detained now for five years, one month, and 29 days. And to put it bluntly, that is a to detainlong time someone, someone who is never been questioned by the swedish authorities. Amy Julian Assange also responded to the ruling just before our broadcast today. He spoke at that News Conference at the Frontline Club in london via video stream from the Ecuadorian Embassy in london. Well, i have been detained now without charge in this country, the United Kingdom, for 5. 5 years. That 5. 5 years where it had great difficulty seeing my family and seeing my children. Today, that detention without charge has been found by the highest organization in the United Nations, has the jurisdiction for considering the rights of detained persons to be unlawful. Any code that is Julian Assange speaking just minutes before we went to broadcast. He was speaking through a video stream at the Frontline Club. He has been holed up at the embassy the Ecuadorian Embassy in london for 3. 5 years where he got political asylum. Joining us now is mads andenas, the former u. N. Special rapporteur on arbitrary detention and the chair of the u. N. Working group on arbitrary detention. He is a professor at the university of oslo and a visiting professor at all Souls College in oxford. And that is where were speaking to him right now. , thank you so much for joining us. You explain the ruling of the u. N. Committee . Thise u. N. Committee holds is in violation of the prohibition against arbitrary detention most of mr. Assange has been the pride of his deprived of his liberty for more than five years. He was initially arrested and detained in isolation. The isolation was completely groundless. He was afterwards in house arrest under, again, very strict restrictions. He was then threatened with actually being extradited to sweden. And you have spoken about the consequences of that will stop that would negate his basic issue of human rights. He had no other choice than to thatd seek refuge and did in the Ecuadorian Embassy. That was not his choice. Could the only way he uphold his own rights. , i want toandenas ask you, the Guardian Newspaper had an editorial, basically, not backing Julian Assange and saying the u. N. Working group on arbitrary detention, this latest opinion, is simply wrong. It says he is not being detained arbitrarily. 3. 5 years ago, he sought refuge in order to avoid extradition to sweden to face allegations of sex offenses. Arbitrary detention, the garden does guardian says means that , due Legal Process has not been observed. It has and this is a publicity stunt. What do you say . First of all, due process has not been upheld and that is what the u. N. Working group very clearly shows. Serious residual mistakes on the swedish side. No proper review on the u. K. Side. The alternatives here there were alternatives. Arresthe european warrant system, he could have been interrogated in england, and london. That is how we normally do these things in europe. In these kinds of cases, swedish offices could have traveled to the u. K. Mr. Assange wouldve been interviewed and an English Police station. That is how we usually do it. It wasnt done here. It was a highly irregular procedure. This was nothing like due process. And it is obvious to the u. N. Group and after this ruling, obvious, this did not serve the purposes of the case with the way it was explained. This was to achieve other aims and illegitimate aims. It was clearly not a part of due process. Amy i want to go back to Julian Assange speaking this morning after the u. N. Ruling became public. It is now the task of the states of sweden and the United Kingdom as a whole to implement the verdict. There can be a thames for the media, the popular press, to look back an attempt to undermine that, a serious attempt, not just for show, would have the effect of undermining the u. N. System. And there are consequences of doing that. In sweden and the u. K. Know full well that there are consequences. Note consequences include merely weakening a human rights and International Law instrument to which both countries have signed binding treaties, but it will have the diplomatic effect and diplomats know it. The diplomatic effect will be to swedenfe difficult for and the United Kingdom to betray did seriously as an International Player as International Players that over the International Legal obligation. Their attempts, as they proceed to undermine the u. N. System, we will see various enforcement measures that can be taken by the u. N. Those, initially, of course, can include the removal from u. N. Committees, the movement against those states and various voting processes, and ultimately, up to and including sanction. Now, of course, that is a matter for the u. N. To decide about how it is going to enforce its decision and a matter for sweden in the u. K. To think, do they really want to go down that path . Amy that is Julian Assange speaking of the News Conference today, albeit by video stream because he is in the Ecuadorian Embassy. If he steps foot outside, he will be arrested by british authorities. Were talking to the former u. N. Repertoire mads andenas. I was watching cnn and a reporter was watching standing outside embassy and saying despite swedens efforts to question Julian Assange in the embassy, ecuador has prevented them from doing this. This was exactly the opposite. This was not true what the reporter said. Ecuador has said the swedish authorities could come in, even a court in sweden has reprimanded the prosecutor for not questioning Julian Assange. Mads andenas, can you say what happens from here . Well, it is now for the u. K. And the swedish authorities to find somewhere of abiding by this opinion. Bodyu. N. Body is the only the one body dealing with arbitrary detention. Sweden and the u. K. Are bound by the u. N. Convention on civil and political rights. It is now for them to find a way of complying. What you mentioned there is part of the substance of the case. There are, of course, much lesser measures, less measures that could of been chosen, for instance, they could have interviewed him in the case interviewed him in the u. K. This report you just mentioned, to the contrary. It is absolutely clear that assange and his team has offered to answer get offered to answer questions by Swedish Police in the u. K. Has not been taken up. As you mentioned, Swedish Courts have been very critical of the prosecutor, the swedish prosecutor for this. Judgments, and swedish of course, you will see that it is as strong a criticism as you can expect possible from Swedish Court against the way the prosecutors have proceeded here. We only have about 30 seconds, but your sense of how public opinion, both in britain and in sweden is in respect to how their governments are dealing with the Julian Assange case . It is split. It is split. No country likes to get a ruling for arbitrary detention, to be centered by the u. N. Like this. But if you dont abide by it, it evolved to a category of countries we dont like to compare ourselves to, who dont abide by these rulings. It is important for the International Human rights systems, countries like the u. K. And sweden, do actually go show a good example and do follow these rulings. Because in the end, theyre bound by the conventions and there is no more authority authoritative body to interpret them on arbitrary detention and is working group, which is established by the u. N. Not amy mads andenas, thank you for being with us. He is the former u. N. Special rapporteur on arbitrary detention and the chair of the u. N. Working group on arbitrary detention. Professor at the university of oslo and a visiting professor at all Souls College. A very special happy fifth birthday to arthur. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democra ciao. I am Nick Stellino. And i have selected for you two great recipes, comfort food. As a matter of fact, when the weather turns cold, this is exactly what you will want to make for your family and friends. Today well make Butternut Squash soup with a confit of pepper, asparagus, and spicy sausage, followed by pea soup with a confit of peppers and shrimp. Please join me in the kitchen. [lively jazz music] spicy, just right. Male announcer cooking with Nick Stellino is made possible by domino foods, makers of c h sugar, pure cane sugar, and makers of domino sugar. Well always be your sugar