Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacher contacted the White House to facilitate a deal that would result in the pardon of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the clearing of Russia from allegations of hacking and leaking Hillary Clinton's emails, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The proposed deal

• Assange would receive a presidential pardon or some other form of clemency if WikiLeaks produced proof that Russia was not responsible for leaking Hillary Clinton's emails.
• Rohrabacher reportedly presented the deal to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly during a Wednesday phone call.
• Kelly referred Rohrabacher to bring his request to the intelligence committee, and did not bring the proposal to President Donald Trump at that time.

Rohrabacher, Russia and Assange

• Rohrabacher is known for being pro-Russia and sympathetic to Vladimir Putin, and has called allegations of Russian election interference "total bulls***."
• Rohrabacher met with Assange on his own in August. After that meeting, he said Assange told him that Clinton's emails did not come from Russia.