Treasury: We 'don't have the evidence' to launch WikiLeaks embargo

The Treasury Department will not comply with calls from House Homeland Security Chairman Pete King to add WikiLeaks and founder Julian Assange to a list of sanctioned countries and people. 

"We do not have evidence at this time as to Julian Assange or WikiLeaks meeting criteria under which OFAC [the Office of Foreign Assets Control] may designate persons and place them on the SDN [Specially Designated Nationals] list," a Treasury spokesperson told The Hill. 

Adding Assange to the list would prevent U.S. companies from doing business with them; many foreign entities follow the list, as well. 

King wrote Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner this week urging him to add WikiLeaks to the list. 

"The U.S. government simply cannot continue its ineffective piecemeal approach of responding in the aftermath of WikiLeaks' damage," King (R-N.Y.) wrote. "The administration must act to disrupt the WikiLeaks enterprise. The U.S. government should be making every effort to strangle the viability of Assange's organization."

King's letter prompted a strong response from Wikileaks.

"King wants to put a Cuban style trade embargo around the truth — forced on US citizens at the point of a gun," Assange said in a release dated Jan. 12.

---