Rep. Denies Interceding In Israel Spy Case

Reports Say California Democrat Jane Harman Was On NSA Phone Tap Agreeing To Step Into AIPAC Case

(AP)  A former member of the House Intelligence Committee denied on Monday interceding in an investigation into two pro-Israel lobbyists now facing a trial on espionage charges.

California Democrat Rep. Jane Harman's office said she "never contacted the Justice Department about its prosecution of present or former AIPAC employees, and the Justice Department never informed her that she was or is the subject of or involved in an investigation."

Congressional Quarterly, and then The New York Times, reported Monday that the National Security Agency intercepted phone calls between Harman and a supporter of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

According to current and former government officials who spoke to CQ and the Times, she was overheard agreeing to seek favorable treatment from the Bush administration for two AIPAC lobbyists under investigation for spying. It was unclear when the wiretaps occurred.

In exchange, the Times and CQ reported, the AIPAC supporter agreed to pressure party leaders to appoint Harman to head the House Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which Democrats were expected to win. Harman was the top Democrat on the committee at the time. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., appointed Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, to the job instead.

In October 2006, a federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, told The Associated Press that Harman's ties with AIPAC had been under scrutiny since the previous year. However, the inquiry had failed to turn up evidence of illegal activity, the official said at the time.

CQ said Harman was said to have been picked up on a court-approved NSA tap directed at alleged Israel covert action operations in Washington. And contrary to reports that the Harman investigation was dropped for "lack of evidence," it was Alberto Gonzales, President George W. Bush's top counsel and then attorney general, who intervened to stop the Harman probe.

CQ said that according to three top former national security officials, Gonzales wanted Harman to be able to help defend the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, which was about to be revealed by the Times.

The Times and CQ said Gonzales declined to comment through a spokesman.

AIPAC lobbyists Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman were charged in 2005 with conspiring to obtain classified documents on issues relevant to U.S. policy, including the al Qaeda terror network, the bombing of the Khobar Towers dormitory in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. Air Force personnel, and U.S. policy in Iran - and then sharing them with reporters and former diplomats.

That espionage trial was set to begin Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Va.

The trial has been postponed at least nine times as the defense and prosecutors wrangled over how to handle classified information in the trial.

Harman's office dismissed Monday's news reports as "recycled."

The statement did not address whether Harman's calls had been intercepted.

"If there is anything about this story that should arouse concern it is that the Bush administration may have been engaged in electronic surveillance of members of the congressional intelligence committees," Harman's statement said.

[ajayvee]

I am sure that AIPAC will not allow the media to front-page this story for very long. By tomorrow morning we will not see hide or hair of it.

[ajayvee]

endurorob writes: I'm getting the impression that members of the U.S. Congress who are Jewish put Israel's welfare ahead of the U.S.'s.
===============
And you are just discovering this??????

[nriss1859]

You know....how do these people sleep @night?
I'm so embarrased of the state of our country :(
so sad.....and hardly any of my friends know or care that this is continuously occuring...
maybe this should be reported on MTV or something for my friends to PAY ATTN TO OUR COUNTRY AND HOW IT IS UTTER ***T right now .

[louiville2]

See how fast this story is going off the front page.

Now tell me why do we help Israel? We give them $2.5+ billion dollars every year, we give Egypt another 4+ billion dollars not to fight with Isael. So we pay Isaer over 6.5-8 Billion dollares each and every year, a nation of 4 million people smaller then most counties in the US. and for what?

So we can fight their wars to the tune of $1 trillion dollars! In return they spy on us, they have even attacked one of our war ships.

I say we should negotiate a unilateral reduction in funding for the area, if they want to fight with each other, at least they will only have rocks and knives to kill each other with.

[bachagaloupe]

If this *** is a millionaire,why doesn't she move to Israel?

[jrc007]

From the NY Times article:

"Ms. Harman was inadvertently swept up by N.S.A. eavesdroppers who were listening in on conversations during an investigation . . . "

I have to wonder how many (if any) Republicans were "inadvertently" tapped by the Bushies.

In pre-FISA days, the snoops had to go to a federal judge and get a warrant. Virtually all of those requests were granted. The Bush mob wanted to spy on their enemies without getting caught, so they had to cut out the judges - and the Constitution - in order to "inadvertently" wiretap folks like the hapless Ms Harman.

[poeticaintit]

Congressional Intelligence - that has got to be an oxymoron. Or maybe all the morons are in congress. Hard to find a difference.
Posted by drputt45


now that's funny....

[tomadams99]

Oh come on Sweetheart, it is okay...just say I am sorry and all will be forgiven. Just ask old Timmy Geithner and crew.

[endurorob]

Is California Democrat Rep. Jane Harman Jewish?

I'm getting the impression that member of the U.S. Congress who are Jewish put Israel's welfare ahead of the U.S.'s.

And cabinet members, U.S. agency secretaries, etc., as well.
Posted by Henri_Rochard at 9:30 AM : Apr 21, 2009

Good question and yes she is Jewish and one of the 5 richest members of congress.

[drputt45]

Congressional Intelligence - that has got to be an oxymoron. Or maybe all the morons are in congress. Hard to find a difference.