The Harman-AIPAC wiretaps
If even half of what’s in Jeff Stein’s CQ exclusive is true, this is a blockbuster scandal of historic proportions. It makes all of the pay-to-play scandals to date look like kindergarten games. Here’s the upshot:
Rep. Jane Harman , the California Democrat with a longtime involvement in intelligence issues, was overheard on an NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department to reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington.
Harman was recorded saying she would “waddle into” the AIPAC case “if you think it’ll make a difference,” according to two former senior national security officials familiar with the NSA transcript.
In exchange for Harman’s help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win.
Seemingly wary of what she had just agreed to, according to an official who read the NSA transcript, Harman hung up after saying, “This conversation doesn’t exist.”
Harman declined to discuss the wiretap allegations, instead issuing an angry denial through a spokesman.
“These claims are an outrageous and recycled canard, and have no basis in fact,” Harman said in a prepared statement. “I never engaged in any such activity. Those who are peddling these false accusations should be ashamed of themselves.”
It’s true that allegations of pro-Israel lobbyists trying to help Harman get the chairmanship of the intelligence panel by lobbying and raising money for Pelosi aren’t new.
They were widely reported in 2006, along with allegations that the FBI launched an investigation of Harman that was eventually dropped for a “lack of evidence.”
What is new is that Harman is said to have been picked up on a court-approved NSA tap directed at alleged Israel covert action operations in Washington.
And that, contrary to reports that the Harman investigation was dropped for “lack of evidence,” it was Alberto R. Gonzales, President Bush’s top counsel and then attorney general, who intervened to stop the Harman probe
This all reeks badly. Harman and Gonzales have a lot of explaining to do.
For background on AIPAC, see all my past blogging on the case here.
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Democrats stealing money selling secrets. They do this so often, does anyone care?
Harman and Gonzales might have a lot of explaining to do; with Eric Holder-”Americans are cowards”- at Justice I doubt Harman will have to. People who not feel there should be an independent and sovereign United States are not likely to vigorously defend Her.
But the people have chosen the coward, the traitor so perhaps that is the way it will be. God Bless the Tri-Lateral Commission and the International Monetary Fund.
That’s an oxymoron in the largest sense.
Once more there’s disturbing news from SanFranNan’s most ethical congress ever.
To whom, about what? Wanna bet the MSM snores on this one too?
In the brave new world of Osama Obama, a place where leftist loons are in charge of security and diplomacy under the child-president and laws are printed on rubber so as to be stretchable, Harman has nothing to worry about.
I’m a little bemused here; it’s not exactly illegal not to pitch requests to Justice for a third party provided there’s no tit-for-tat, correct? If Harman smelled such coming and shut the deal cold, is this contro mainly because she didn’t report it or what? I can see bagging her for taking bait or spiff, but someone tell me exactly what’s starkly illegal here or is this all a red herring?
James Greenidge
Queens, NY
We NEED to take this to Pelosi’s door…
and LIGHT IT…!!!!
Fan it…
and keep it burning.
Doesn’t matter what happened – illegal, immoral, whatever. She is a democrat under a democrat President and Congress. Nothing will come of it.
Well what a dilema for the Dem’s. Here’s a chance to rap Bush one more time thru Gonzales but what to do with Harman? Maybe the story will just evaporate.
another cockroach exposed.
Harman has a pro-military reputation, worked well w/ the Bush administration and, reportedly, is not a favorite of Pelosi; this will not bode well for her and Conzales, now that BDS liberals control the apparatus of government.
Why does it always smell like low tide with these clowns?
Perhaps this is why when Pelosi did not appoint Harmon as head of the intelligence commitee Harmon was pissed.
I’m a little bemused here; it’s not exactly illegal not to pitch requests to Justice for a third party provided there’s no tit-for-tat, correct? If Harman smelled such coming and shut the deal cold, is this contro mainly because she didn’t report it or what? I can see bagging her for taking bait or spiff, but someone tell me exactly what’s starkly illegal here or is this all a red herring?
Well, for starters, she was making a tit-for-tat deal with a known agent of a foreign government, and she could have (and should have,) been investigated under corruption charges, perhaps even national security charges, since she did not file anything regarding a conversation with a foreign agent.
Sounds like Harman deserves the daily Emily Littila award…”never mind”. I’m ready for the Dems to blame Bush for corrupting her.
Woops, forgot to put the first part in blockquotes.
If Gonzales stopped the investigation, then he NEEDS to be exposed. Harman needs tossed out on her rear.
I’m so happy when stuff like this gets uncovered. I’d be THRILLED if it were widely reported.
How can anyone still possibly deny the massive influence AIPAC has within our government?
Harman and Gonzales NEED to explain their part BUT when you turn on the Democrats they will out you in a second!!! These are GOOD TIMES!
O/T
The Financial Times has an overview article on how the Obama administration is planning to nationalize (permanently?) America’s banks by subjectively stress testing which banks would be allowed to repay the government bailout money.
This site, and conservative blogosphere in general, has supported AIPAC without question. The “suspected Israeli agent” probably was one of the AIPAC employees who were recently indicted for spying. There is no way Harmon could or should have known about that investigation. This site was furious that the US would indict someone working for Israel, our only ally in the middle east.
How quickly things change. Suddenly AIPAC and those who offer to help are EVIL.
Isn’t the real revelation here that the pretended dichotomy between the Rs and Ds is precisely that…
pretend.
We really have a Political Class operating in collaberation, and their interests are sometimes aligned against the people, and the Constitution each of them is sworn to preserve.
Even by your standards, lgm, that is a remarkably silly thing to say. MM linked to all her previous posts on AIPAC. Why don’t you read them?
Still another liberal leftist lie.
L cubed.
This shows that all the politicians in Washington DC are crooked no matter their flavor. The time is getting closer and closer, if we don’t act we will lose this country to the Marxist.
flenser: That IS lgm-proof that evolution is working, only in reverse.
Thankfully, this site is not Big Purple Baseballs.
Israel has the Right to act pre-emtively as it chooses. Eric Holder is a joke. Obama is a bad joke. American Foreign Policy is a windsock.
Israel is a sovereign Nation and has the Right to Defend itself.
AHHH, JANEY, no problem!!! Just CHEAT 2 or 3 times on your taxes, all is FORGIVEN…
“IT WAS ALL BUSH’S FAULT”!!!
Absolutely, however, if the right to defend itself includes coercing weak American politicians into following Israel’s interests over American interests, then there is a big problem.
yuummmm tasty, could someone please pass the BBQ sauce and more napkins? I may be here a while…
No sorry, this seat is saved for Mary Katharine Ham. Scoot over
I am conservative to the right of Atilla the Hun. However, I have always had the highest respect for Rep. Harman. I considered her always to be an American first and a politician second.
I hope that following an investigation of this matter that her statement repeated below is true. Our country does not need this kind of thing.
Why would he bother when he hasn’t seemed to have completely read this post.
Somehow this translates to unquestioning support of AIPAC.
Fixed it.
Well, Tim Geithner got away with his shenanigans, they’ll find a way to blame this on President Bush, on right-wing extremists, on tea parties, on ….
Absolutely correct – the Janet Reno Part Deax Justice Department would rather investigate “right winders” and returning veterans. THEY are the problem, and don’t you forget it!
Gee I wonder how the anti Semitic left will spin this?
DBNinKY, I’m thinking like you here. I imagine the Lefty Dems want her out. Replace her with some nitwit. IMO, she wasn’t one of the nitwits..
This will make Pat Buchanan’s day.
Not mentioned in the CQ article, who was the focus of the original wiretap? Rep Harman? The suspected Israeli agent?
The reality is that Rep Harman did nothing wrong, or illegal. She was responding to a request from a constituent who feels, or believes, they were being rolled by the Beauracracy, the Judiciary, or the Administration. Not unusual.
That is her job. She can say no, or yes, but she should certainly listen to a request from a constituent.
How different is this from, you or me, reaching out to our Representative and/or Senator asking them to intercede on our behalf? How different is it from, you or me, asking the President to use the executive powers to commute, or pardon, a sentence?
Ahh, maybe it is the appearance of a quid pro quo. Something was offered but from what I can tell, was not explicitly accepted. Yet, how different is that from, you or me, saying we have held fund raisers for you in the past, contributed to your campaign, and may not do so in the future? Quid pro quo? I suppose a case could be made.
Rep Harman’s mistake was not being forthcoming about what she did, or did not do, but in first thinking that what she may have done was wrong and/or illegal. If it was anything, it was embarrassing, and that is all.
Because if you or I ask for something, our representative gives us the middle finger.
On the one hand, Harman is another Washington corruptocrat. On the other hand I have to consider the timing of this newsfeed and if what she did is any worse than other Democrats meeting with Syrian dictators, Hamas, Chavez, Castro,…. Part of me feels that this is another generated smear of AIPAC and consequently Israel. When this is taken in the context of Obama’s administration consideration of punitive policy regarding Israel, I see some serious danger here. Does Harman deserve any support for such actions? No. But we also need to look at why this is being released and by whom. I have many more misgivings about the recent release of CIA memos, and consider: that particular disclosure was likely orchestrated by the same people who released these tapes on Harman. What exactly is the agenda here, and who stands to benefit from such stories? These are very serious questions.
Sometimes, the actions of the person featured in an unflattering photo are not as vile as actions of the one who is publishing that photo.
This is just like that movie Contact!
Rachel Constantine: I assume you read the confidential findings report from the investigating committee.
Michael Kitz: I flipped through it.
Rachel Constantine: I was especially interested in the section on Arroway’s video unit. The one that recorded the static?
Michael Kitz: Continue.
Rachel Constantine: The fact that it recorded static isn’t what interests me.
Michael Kitz: [pauses] Continue.
Rachel Constantine: What interests me is that it recorded approximately eighteen hours of it.
Michael Kitz: [leans forward so he is looking directly in the camera] That is interesting, isn’t it?
(munching popcorn) More cheese Gromit!
I think the big deal here is that a United States representative took orders from an Israeli lobbyist to intervene in an espionage case against two other Israeli lobbyists on the promise of a chairmanship. In addition, her phone was tapped by the NSA for some reason. Also, any investigation/charges were dropped by the same guy who intervened in the espionage case.
I grant you that on the surface dots need to be connected, but honestly, those dots are pretty freaking close together.
The real question is just who authorized the leak and why do it now?
Harman usually went along with Bush on intelligence matters.
You and I are US citizens, and our Representatives and/or Senators are our Representatives and/or Senators. And what was done here was not asking somebody to interceede on their behalf.
It’s much more likely that the Israeli agents phone was being tapped, and Harman was overheard when he called her.
harman is no friend of san fran nan, so i bet this not only has legs because it deserves them, but because nan sees a payback and she can’t help herself. she is at least as big a partisan enforcer as tom delay was, and more in my humble opinion.
Good call, although I guess that’s not any better of a situation.
More proof liberals care nada about evidence and why we believe liberalism is a disease (and lgm is King of the Idiots).
Oh, and we should wait on the outcome before we hang this woman verbally.
I’m always happy to hang Democrats. Verbally, of course. Not sure why so many here want to come to her defense.
As MM indicates, this also makes Gonzales look bad.
flenser,
Easy targets should be shown mercy now and again. I am of the brand that a government is going to fall when its representatives no longer care to hide their corruption and even think their lawlessness is “okay”. It saddens me that Republicans are in a hurry to catch up with Demoncraps instead of making trails in the other direction.
Not defending her. Not sure we have all of the facts or this is a slam dunk like Billy “The Freezer” Jefferson.
If it were a Republican, you would never hear the end of it. That’s a fact.
In order to keep a security clearance, she is supposed to report it. She didn’t. That’s a violation. Can’t kick her out of office for it but she should have been removed from her committee.
Its not that any evidence does or does not exist. Its the gravity of the charge demands it be investigated.
Here is the problem with going off half-cocked:
So does garlic but I still like to eat it.
What if the “half” that is true is the old allegations and the rest turns out to be untrue? Let’s not rush to hang this woman. Sure, if this was a Repub, the MSM and dems would be screaming for Bush to be hanged. I am just not sure we should be like “them”.
This thought crossed my mind as well. Smearing Israel might be a big-time operation with this Administration. Uh-oh, what are all those clicks on my phone?
BTW, can we assume anyone talking on the telephone is not involved in any way with intelligence?
This was posted earlier this AM over on Lucianne’s news site. Lots of interesting comments there as well.
If you go over there, y’all come right back here, hear?
–K
Well, I see the outrage in some against Harman and Gonzalez. Ergo, I also see Rahm and Barack high-fiving each other, fist-bumping, and mouthing, “Mission Accomplished” to Queen Pelosi.
Get a clue. Democrat era NSA wiretaps on Democrats don’t mysteriously pop up unless it’s a planned hit job.
I guess the prior crack by the administration, about keeping a score, is finally getting some attention.
This might be a message sent to other Democrats: either get with the program or be cast out. Scarry.
I like Obama using this wire-tapping – nice work Mr. President, throw her in jail.
Typical democrap, they always conduct themselves as if they are above the law. If guilty, label her a traitor and throw the book at her.
Jeffrey Schrembs said: PATHETIC…absolutely PATHETIC, COWARDLY, and yet another example of the Democratic “by any means necessary” tactics!
Pelosi, Reid, and Obama are PURE FILTH unworthy of representing the VALUES of this Christian/Jewish Nation for they allow the most innocent of all life (the unborn child) to be MURDERED 24/7…without any restrictions.
In addition they earmark BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to ACORN and PLANNED PARENTHOOD who “magically” donate MILLIONS to each of them and to the Democratic Party (locally, statewide, and federal).
This is a RICO (i.e. consipracy that is OPEN for public view) violation if ever there was one. Of course there will never be any investigation because they are not a White Male, Christian, Jewish, and/or Conservative.
American Citizens should be APPALLED at this latest example of CORRUPTION by Democratic Political Partisan PUPPETS.
Congrats to Michelle Malkin for another exceptional article.
It would appear that the phrase “corrupt Democrat” is now redundant. Come on, 2010!
It’s interesting because she is now asking for the release of the tapes. Must be something on there that Holder left out…
It’s just the Chicago Mafia trying to scare Dems into line. Yeah, like a guy in dancing shoes is scary, right Rahm?What are those clicks on my phone?
You know – if we were related or something I’d take you aside and tell you to stop embarrassing yourself…
So who approved the release of the conversation?
Hello, Barack?
Democrats. Liars.
Jane Harman is Nancy Pelosi’s old rival for the Speaker’s chair from 2006, you all don’t think Harman was set up? This is too good…Democrats with their knives out for each other…after tea partys what Democrat isn’t going to be covering their backsides (job security) and which are going to be following San Fran Nan?
Jane Harman is a moderate Democrat.
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/22/pelosi-knew-about-harman-wiretap/
What do you do when your enemy is destroying themselves? Stand aside.
http://www.christiantalkzone.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2693.html
The Republican pollster makes no bones about his party’s present predicament. The House is history, the Senate hangs by a thread, the GOP coalition is disunited and dispirited. The Democrats are holding all the cards and playing them, if not perfectly, then at least as well as Democrats ever do.
There is, he says, only one cause for hope that Republicans can cling to: Her name is Nancy Pelosi. “Whenever she opens her mouth, she loses the Democrats votes,” the pollster says. “The smartest thing that [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman] Rahm Emanuel could do is have her spend the rest of the campaign in Alaska and Hawaii—taking a boat from one to the other.”
Confronting the prospect of Speaker Pelosi gives many Democrats, too, the chills. Consider the story making the rounds last week about her plans to deny the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee to its ranking Democrat, Jane Harman. Harman is a smart and creative moderate.
So she holds little attraction for Pelosi—who is thinking instead of elevating Representative Alcee Hastings, an African-American whose selection would help Pelosi shore up support from the Congressional Black Caucus. Never mind that, in 1989, Hastings was impeached and removed from a federal judgeship on charges of corruption and perjury.
Dem Demon (http://nymag.com/news/politics/powergrid/23482/index.html)