Despite no evidence that Paul Manafort actually met with Julian Assange, the media is still harping this false story. Manafort has previously issued a statement denying any meeting:

> *"This story is totally false and deliberately libelous. I have never met Julian Assange or anyone connected to him. I have never been contacted by anyone connected to Wikileaks, either directly or indirectly."*

> *"I have never reached out to Assange or Wikileaks on any matter. We are considering all legal options against the Guardian who proceeded with this story even after being notified by my representatives that it was false."*

<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WLpnnwb.jpg" /><br/><em><sub><a href="https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1068132669186289664">Source</a></sub></em></center>

But with the accusations of him colluding with Russia to rig the 2016 election that defeated the media's favored party -- the Democrats, the media doesn't accept his word that no meeting happened. In a recent "The Beat with Ari Melber" on CNBC titled *[Collusion bombshell: Report Manafort met with Assange in 2016](https://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari-melber/watch/collusion-bombshell-report-manafort-met-with-assange-in-2016-1382142019523)*, the message was that Manafort isn't telling the truth:

<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bCgeKc8.jpg" /><br/><em><sub><a href="https://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari-melber/watch/collusion-bombshell-report-manafort-met-with-assange-in-2016-1382142019523">Source</a></sub></em></center>

In a recent development with actual real evidence, [The Washington Times](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/29/paul-manafort-denies-meeting-julian-assange-passpo/) has reviewed Manafort's passports since 2008 which show he entered Heathrow Airport in the U.K. twice. But those three passports on show him going to the U.K. in 2010 and 2012. This goes against the alleged timeline of Manafort and Assange meeting in 2013, 2015 and 2016 proposed by Luke Harding in The Guardian. 

Although he could have arrived through another country and not receive a stamp on his passport, a representative of Manafort said he only visited England those two times with his passport. They also said a libel suit against The Guardian is being discussed.

The Washington Times acquired the Manafort's passports because they were entered as evidence in his tax evasion trial. Manafort is currently in jail for tax evasion. He may be guilty of some things, but he didn't collude with Assange and Russia to hack Hilary Clinton's emails.

WikiLeaks has been a target of Democrats and the liberal mainstream media for years since those leaks came out and damaged their reputation. The leaks came out just prior to the 2016 presidential election, with releases of the stolen emails in July, October and November. The dems have since trumped up a narrative that it was Russia who was behind the hack, and has been desperate to try to prove it, but there is no proof thus far. They want to take Trump out, and are bringing in Assange to try to build a web of lies and achieve that goal.

Whether Mamafort follows through with a libel suit, WikiLeaks is well on it's way to getting it done. After 2 days of running the [GoFundMe campaign](https://www.gofundme.com/wikileaks-suing-the-guardian-over-manafort-story) named *"Help WikiLeaks Sue Guardian Over Fabricated Story"*, WikiLeaks has raised over $35,760 of a $300,00 goal. It has already raised 29,315 from 573 people on its first day.

<center><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qBdRjkf.jpg" /><br/><em><sub><a href="https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1067908713531539456">Source</a></sub></em></center>

The claims of this fake meeting should be dead. There is no evidence, and the evidence that does exist -- the passports from Manafort -- says the meeting never took place. Manafort was also apparently under investigation and would already know where he did or didn't go. Plus, London is filled with cameras, which includes the Ecuadorian Embassy. The story doesn't hold up, and certain only looks like another case of blatant mainstream media fake news. Not a "Russian intelligence" operation and conspiracy to discredit the Guardian, as Politico has [pathetically claimed](https://steemit.com/freeassange/@krnel/politico-blames-russia-s-disinformation-network-for-guardian-s-assange-manafort-fake-news-story).

---
References:
- [Manafort denies meeting Assange, as passports' stamps don't match accusations](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/29/paul-manafort-denies-meeting-julian-assange-passpo/)
- [Collusion bombshell: Report Manafort met with Assange in 2016](https://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari-melber/watch/collusion-bombshell-report-manafort-met-with-assange-in-2016-1382142019523)



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