There has been widespread speculation that WikiLeaks would target Bank of America.
This has now been confirmed.
Specifically, Agence Press France is reporting:
Assange also confirmed that WikiLeaks was holding a vast amount of material about Bank of America which it intends to release early next year.
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To snatch a phrase of Yves’s, Mirabile Dictu!
Jeepers, it looks as though 2011 will be an Anus Mirabilis (or something like that).
hate the leaker. love the leaks.
Huff Post
UPDATE: Julian Assange did not confirm he has information pertaining to Bank of America. AFP misrepresented an interview with Assange in a Times of London story, according to an email sent to Forbes from Times reporter Alexi Mostrous.
ORIGINAL POST:
The folks at Boing Boing have unearthed gold within a Times of London article: Julian Assange has confirmed he’s holding a trove of information about Bank of America, slated for release early next year.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/22/wikileaks-target-bank-of-america_n_800067.html
…as a wide open eyes spectator looking at the meteor smashing the Earth…knowing you’re going to be dead…
I don’t see how Manning and Assange could have entered into a conspiracy, since the operational model of WikiLeaks depends on electronic anonymity, and not on the ability of any one party to successfully resist or evade interrogation.
According to Jason Ditz of antiwar.com:
“The Obama Administration is reportedly offering a possible plea bargain to the detained Pfc Bradley Manning, if he agrees to testify against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that Assange pressured him to release the various classified documents.”
http://news.antiwar.com/2010/1…/
On top of that, Glenn Greenwald discusses with Scott Horton of antiwar.com why he thinks that “Manning’s draconian imprisonment may be a negotiating tactic to coerce testimony against Julian Assange” and why he thinks that “the government is now considering conspiracy charges against Assange instead of using the problematic Espionage Act of 1917.”
http://antiwar.com/radio/2010/12/20/glenn-greenwald-29/
So if Obama and his fascist judiciary decides to throw Julian Assange into a black site prison and gitmotize him to the point where his brain turns to mush and his body regresses to a fetal state, or if Obama decides to sic his CIA assassins on him and shower him with bullets, leaving him to die in a pool of blood, then my faith in truth, justice and the American way will slip through my hand and hit the floor, smashing into a million pieces…;^(
You forgot that he is also a Bilderberg bootlicker trained at the Patrice Lumumba triple agent school of anti colonial secret kenyan none dare call it conspiracy institute.
I think that the American Government is more concerned about the future leaks
on the Wall Street Bank, presumably Bank of America, than about the leaks which exposed their incompetence in Foreign Policy. Therefore they will try to position
Assange as a terrorist, and WikiLeaks as a terrorist organization.
http://c2047852.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/Informants%20-%20Villains%20or%20Heroes.mp3
Adrian lamo defending his decision to snitch on Manning.
The “Sexed Up Dump” gets better everyday.
>>> then my faith in truth, justice and the American way will slip through my hand and hit the floor, smashing into a million pieces <<<
What? You still have any faith in this nation of retarded morons led by psychopathic criminals?…
This country is pathetic, the laughing stock of the world. A pitiful loser empire that wallows in its own cesspool for all to amuse themselves at.
Pathetic America — pathetic and disgusting to the core.
Psychoanalystus
Bank of America had their name and reputation foreclosed upon by a reluctant corporate press this year. Muncipal Bonds/ defrauding anyone in view, roboshit, seizing homes they don’t own, billions in bonuses, calls for receivership, etc – what could be released that would come as a surprise to anyone?
“receivership”
Music to my ears! How I hate it when those who should know better use the propaganda term “nationalization”.
As for your moniker “Capone Financials”, I suggest you read Smedley Butler’s “War is a Racket”. The appropriate quote is:
“I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. … I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. … Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.”
In other words, Smedley thought Al Capone was a penny ante operator compared to the banks and their hired help (the US government).
Another interesting tidbit: Back then (1933) Reader’s Digest published a condensed version of “War is a Racket”. Nowadays anyone who wrote half as sharply as Smedley would be denounced as a terrorist and a warrant put out for his arrest. Details like the fact that he was a retired major general (USMC) and twice awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor would count for nothing.
Advisory to All Informed Citizens:
Please be on the watch for any authors who publish through the Perseus Book Group, or any of the subsidiaries.
[Perseus Book Group belongs to the portfolio of Perseus, LLC, hedge fund and investment bank which is the listed address for American Friends of Bilderberg, Inc. (nope, not kidding here), whose listed directors include David Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Richard Perle, etc.
Jaclyn Friedman, who publishes through Seal Press, one of the Perseus Books Group, has been going after anyone who remotely supports Julian Assange and Wikileaks.
I’d about trust her as much as I’d trust Thomas Friedman.
I know that sounds like a big juicy conspiracy, but the big action is elsewhere. The guy who set up Perseus is a ridiculous social climber and he looooves to kiss heiny, hence his grabbing at what appear to be the reins of power.
And yes, the guy knows shit about books and therefore many of the books he puts out are kind of lame. A newspaper profile compared him to “the Great Gatsby”. He was then really worried about who this “Gatsby” character was and went around asking people. Another profile mentioned how the book he would take to a desert island is Marcus Aurelius’s “Confessions”. Problem is, there is no such book. Maybe he was trying to sound profound? It must be easy to confuse Augustine of Hippo and Marcus Aurelius, particularly when you haven’t read their books.
Maybe Smedley had the goods on too many people, as when he spilled the beans about those Wall St. stockbrokers proposing that he lead a military coup to overthrow FDR in 1934.
Oh, I imagine there is much more. For example, some allege Wikileaks is holding incriminating documentation regarding B of A’s foreknowledge of the mortgage crisis and collusion with the federal government on bailout terms. Stuff we already suspect, I suppose, but seeing it in writing would create quite a storm.
Devoutly to be wished. But would it cause a stir? Filth of this sort is available in copious quantities, due in part to the valiant efforts of our host and others of her ilk. The likes of Bernie Sanders point this out in the US Senate no less. But does it get much attention, or do they just switch to the video of Congressmen X, Y and Z spouting a talking point that would bewilder Louis Carroll?
…confidential from nyc pedestrian -Bank of America branches dirty neglected unwashed windows, so thick with dust you can’t see inside.
Chase branches new and shiny -big blue neon signs ev er y where, huge empty spaces 2-story ceilings on every prime street corner in Manhattan just waiting to take over BOA.
Exactly. if what we already know about BoA raised not a single eyebrow, why is this going to be any different? Reading someone’s private email will provide no worse to add to the mix. Assange says the CEO may resign. I don’t want resignation, I want handcuffs (and nightmares about Bubba).
Wikileaks lost the element of surprise with BoA leaks. If they see the light of day, it will be a none issue.
“… what could be released that would come as a surprise to anyone?”
Indeed, and why Bank of America, that already wounded beast, whose viable assets are no doubt already being surveyed by healthier vultures? Why not Goldman, or everybody’s pal Jamie over at JP Morgan?
Ummmm. Maybe because Goldman didn’t buy Countrywide?
Just a guess.
Bingo. Just the ticket for more concentration (consolidation) at the top…
At least he’s letting them get their Christmas bonuses.
Bet he’s got the H. Paulson emails to Ken regarding ML. Also the sales receipt for the matching G-watches HP and Timmay sported at that hearing (holiday presents from the Whitehouse?); the one where Paulson acted like he was doing us a favor because he had a more important engagement than with the American People.
clawbacks, anyone?
Crazy. I had some BAC stock since forever (result of mergers). The day I heard about Wikileaks, I sold. The stock has Only Gone Up since that day!
If that doesn’t spell manipulation of the markets, I don’t know what would.
Today, it’s still positive!!
Up 3%!!!
Seemed to me B OF A stock has gone up since quanitative easing numero two. Just a coincidence? or is the FED taking garbage off their hands? Who knows….
But a number of senators own B OF A stock, if that means anything…
B of A? Yawn…..
Goldman/NY Fed dirt would be a story, though.
Push the price up. Jump if it comes out. Amen.
“”After all they’ve done, what could be a surprise??””
The big surprise would be that they will be held accountable and prosecuted. Now that would be a surprise.
jeeez amen to that
JP Morgue, Golden Sacks, and other vulture capitalists must be drooling lasciviously over the possible demise or critical wounding of BAC. Wittingly or not, Assange may be serving their interests. A few key bank failures can be a good thing for remaining loan-sharks.
So far the Assange affair, both the comically-dubious sex ‘scandal’ and the actual (non)disclosures, filtered through the NYT and other MSM, seem somehow less than climactic. There’s not much, for instance, on America’s closest client-partner Israel, its nukes, relentless settlements, Gaza, etc., little on corruption and drug-running in Afghanistan, nothing new on 9/11, etc. The not-so-secret disclosures are embarrassing, maybe, but more often to US counterparts and not all that damaging in the end to vital imperial narrative or interests.
WikiLeaks net impact may actually end up doing very little damage to militarism, neo-McCarthyism, or rampant crony fascism. It’s possible that instead of empowering transparency and democracy, it may well serve the consolidation of the police state itself in the end, including greater censorship of press and internet, criminalizing association or advocacy, and more fear-induced punitive ‘justice’, including assassinations, torture, indefinite detention without bail or trial, etc.
The next release may tell a lot, but if it mostly recycles public domain stuff or embarrasses a few disposable VP’s without any substantive revelations about top-down fraud or the machinations of the Fed, then I’ll be far more skeptical of WikiLeaks populist loyaties.
Many have noted the suspicious absence of disclosures from Israel, and Netanyahu’s praise for Wikileaks is highly suspect. Perhaps more documents are forthcoming, or Israeli-American communiques were of a higher classification, or they are included in the so-called “poison pill.” Of note, an Israeli journalist named Lia Abramovitch alleges that Assange’s former colleague, Daniel Domscheit-Berg, asserted that Assange struck a deal with Israel to suppress incriminating cables.
Yeah, about that….
http://cryptome.org/0003/ddb-denial.htm
..and you’re welcome.
Update: Domscheit-Berg issued a statement yesterday denying that he made such claims or that he has ever spoken to Abramovitch. Thank you for the link, aet.
Well said in regards to Wikileaks. My question would be, is there enough information known about the banks, etc., just among public in general. There are statements made on this blog, and many other intelligent (and progressive) blogs, along with the commenters that would lead me to believe, that an AG or Federal Investigator might want to dig into this some more. Throw in some letters to major publishers as backup for the troops and incentive for the investigators, and you might have a good show.
It is time, we have the means via the internet, and the public are spitting mad. Good combination for winning a battle.
They could take the internet away from the public in a heartbeat and there is nothing you could do but run in tight little circles screaming at your neighbors.
Americans are personally very well-armed: and their security forces know about freedom too.
The question is not whether Americans could do something about it, but whether they would. Freedom gets taken away from people a bit at a time, with every step justified by some supposed immediate need or overriding concern.
Even scarier is that many Americans consider the Bill of Rights and other protections to be radical and dangerous. Presented as “The Bill of Rights” they’ll of course pay lip service to it, but don’t take the wisdom of it to heart.
My friend what can you do with your 38 special when they turn the tanks, drones, and bombers on the American people? And the security forces, I imagine meaning the police (whose mission is “to serve and protect [banks, CEOs, and other species of political party financial contributors ]”), have become little more than trigger-happy brainwashed brutes that would not hesitate to shoot unarmed civilians in order to protect the system that pays their pathetic salaries.
Sorry, but this country is a lost cause.
Psychoanalystus
Police may be happy to act as muscle-men for the banks, but the underpaid, abused military? Don’t be so sure.
The role of drug money in international banking is the only thing I suspect would really truly serve as “insurance”. It’s the only truly toxic subject left.
Before the first wave of Wiki releases the US Government was notified and had some information redacted besides some striking of Wiki’s own volition, this and honoring requests by the US. Draw your own conclusions.
QE(s) covers all bank debt, States debt, pension debt, a lot of overseas debt so why shouldn’t the markets go up if investors are covered? The only thing that will go down is the US$.
BOA is the easiet target, they lose information all the time.
Deutsche Bank’a admitted, criminal wrongdoing cost about $500M. Crime pays for some.