The latest dude to misrepresent the Julian Assange rape allegations in front of a national audience is Michael Moore, who last night told a sympathetic Keith Olbermann it's a bunch of "hooey" over a broken condom.


At this point, the Assange case involves more misinformation about condoms than an abstinence-only sex ed class. Here's Moore — who helped post bail for Assange — telling Olbermann the accusations are "hooey" and claiming Assange was arrested because "a condom broke":


Actually, (as we've already said) the British extradition hearings make it clear that Assange is accused of such crimes as holding a woman down during sex, and having nonconsensual, unprotected sex with a woman while she was sleeping. At least as of Nov. 30, the Swedish government had requested that Assange appear for questioning about the allegations, and may not have formally charged him (though the Guardian, somewhat confusingly, uses the word "charge"). But still, it's not at all hard to figure out that, whether Assange is guilty or innocent, what's at issue here is not just a broken condom. Nor is it true that "the term 'rape' in Sweden includes consensual sex without a condom," as Olbermann tweeted on December 5. It's not hard to figure this shit out, that is, if you actually care about accuracy — which a journalist like Olbermann or a documentarian like Moore should. And memo to everyone: if you're going to carry water for Assange, at least read up on what he's accused of. I'm tired of having the same argument over and over again.



Update: Tiger Beatdown has started a Twitter campaign to show Michael Moore that "a progressive movement that doesn't stand against rape isn't a progressive movement." Sady Doyle writes,

Assange Accuser Leaves Sweden, May Stop Helping Prosecution One of the Swedish women involved in the Julian Assange rape investigation may have stopped… Read more

Please tweet @MMFlint, using the hashtag #Mooreandme, until we have an explanation from Michael Moore, and preferably an apology, and preferably $20,000, donated to an anti-sexual-assault organization of his choice.

Moore Bails Out Assange [Countdown]

Olbermann, Assange, And The Holocaust Denier [Reason]

Earlier: Assange Accuser Leaves Sweden, May Stop Helping Prosecution