Assange was the conduit, the pipe, through which the messages were transmitted. If not him and Wikileaks, then another conduit ito the mainstream would have been utilized
We are yet to learn how the vast horde of Clinton/Democrat secrets will be used to bring them down.
Why was he selected as the “conduit”? He committed crimes and will be charged by the US. He skipped bail.
Assange is no hero. But I don’t believe he was working with the Russians nor were the Russians responsible for the hacking of the DNC and Podesta.