https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/feb/19/donald-trump-offered-julian-assange-pardon-russia-hack-wikileaks
Assange’s lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, alleged that during a visit to London in August 2017, congressman Dana Rohrabacher told the WikiLeaks founder that “on instructions from the president, he was offering a pardon or some other way out, if Mr Assange … said Russia had nothing to do with the DNC [Democratic National Committee] leaks.”
Rohrabacher denied the claim:
• “At no time did I talk to President Trump about Julian Assange,”
• “Likewise, I was NOT directed by Trump or anyone else connected with him to meet with Julian Assange.
• “I was on my own fact finding mission at personal expense to find out information I thought was important to our country.
• “At no time did I offer Julian Assange anything from the president because I had not spoken with the president about this issue at all.
• “when speaking with Julian Assange, I told him that if he could provide me information and evidence about who actually gave him the DNC emails, I would then call on President Trump to pardon him,”
• “At no time did I offer a deal made by the president, nor did I say I was representing the president.”
White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham told reporters:
• “The president barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he’s an ex-congressman. He’s never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject.”
• “It is a complete fabrication and a total lie,” Grisham said. “This is probably another never-ending hoax and total lie from the DNC.”