The public opinion of Wikileaks changes a bit with each release. The article copied below indicates another issue to consider. Wikileaks in the coming weeks will release tax details of over 2000 of the world's weathiest people. Such a release could be damming to the US tax policy which allows weathy individuals a lot of avoidance of a heavy tax system--such as off shore accounts, etc. If such information becomes public it could force changes in US tax policy as demands of everyday people get heard in protest. Thus if this release happens right before national qualifier...judges could be thinking Wikileaks is a good thing because this could make wealthy people pay more in the taxes in the end. It will be really hard gauge a judge's wikileaks belief system before a nat quals round with a situation as fluid as wikileaks.
I am actually really concerned about this issue. And the other unknown in this topic is what new cable release might say in the coming weeks. Everyday more information is released.
So those in the national qualifier in PF must stay current each day on wikileaks and information coming out.
Todays article from Europe:
LONDON (AP) -- A former Swiss banker on Monday supplied documents to WikiLeaks that he alleges detail attempts by wealthy business leaders and lawmakers to evade tax payments. Rudolf Elmer, an ex-employee of Swiss-based Bank Julius Baer, said there were 2,000 account holders named in the documents, but refused to give details of the companies or individuals involved.
He has previously offered files to WikiLeaks on financial activities in the Cayman Islands and faces a court hearing in Zurich on Wednesday to answer charges of coercion and violating Switzerland's strict banking secrecy laws.
"I do think as a banker I have the right to stand up if something is wrong," said Elmer, who addressed reporters at London's Frontline Club alongside WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
"I am against the system. I know how the system works and I know the day-to-day business. From that point of view, I wanted to let society know what I know. It is damaging our society," Elmer said.
Assange praised the ex-banker's attempts to expose alleged shady practices in the financial industry. He was making a rare public appearance since he was released on bail on Dec. 16 following his arrest on a Swedish extradition warrant. Elmer claims his previous disclosures showed evidence of major tax avoidance in the Caribbean.
However, Assange said that with WikiLeaks focussed on other issues -- such as the publication of its cache of about 250,000 diplomatic cables, it could be several weeks before Elmer's latest files are reviewed and posted on the organization's website.
The organization has so far posted about 2,444 cables to the Internet since it began publishing the documents in November.
