Sources: Wiretap Recorded Rep. Harman Promising to Intervene for AIPAC

[kpete]

Source: Congressional Quarterly

CQ HOMELAND SECURITY
April 19, 2009 – 8:49 p.m.
Sources: Wiretap Recorded Rep. Harman Promising to Intervene for AIPAC
By Jeff Stein, CQ SpyTalk Columnist

But that’s when, according to knowledgeable officials, Attorney General Gonzales intervened.

According to two officials privy to the events, Gonzales said he “needed Jane” to help support the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program, which was about to be exposed by the New York Times.

Harman, he told Goss, had helped persuade the newspaper to hold the wiretap story before, on the eve of the 2004 elections. And although it was too late to stop the Times from publishing now, she could be counted on again to help defend the program

He was right.

On Dec. 21, 2005, in the midst of a firestorm of criticism about the wiretaps, Harman issued a statement defending the operation and slamming the Times, saying, “I believe it essential to U.S. national security, and that its disclosure has damaged critical intelligence capabilities.”

Pelosi and Hastert never did get the briefing.


Read more: http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=hsnews-000003098436&cpage=3

[wellst0nev0ter]

1. Seriously, With "Democrats" Like These

Who needs Republicans?

[msanthrope]

7. Jane Harman should be jettisoned. Can't we do better?

Actually, after reading the whole article, there's an indictment out there....Holder needs to convene a grand jury.

[Fireweed247]

40. They have probably all been blackmailed and need to go

We have caught one, now we can figure out what has been going on the during the Bush years.

I wonder what they caught John Conyers doing?

[Andy823]

50. I agree.

I think a lot of people in congress, on both sides, have been caught with their hands in the "cookie jar" and the Bush gang have been holding that over their heads for a long time. I also agree with you, we need to get rid of those who have been breaking the law, no matter what party they are in, and we need some serious investigations so the public can see just who has been guilty, either of paying the blackmail with their votes, or those who did the blackmailing. Change has to include getting rid of those in congress who are not working for the people, no matter what the reasons is!

[Old Michigander]

51. Treason

She is doing the work of a foreign power. She should be lead away in handcuffs.

While they are at it, how about some wiretaps on Dodd and Frank taking bribes from the banksters.

[ExPatLeftist]

59. In before the pizza n/t

[spiritual_gunfighter]

82. What does in before the pizza mean exactly

I have seen this a few times and it is usually in concert with Freepers posting on DU. Am I close.

[ExPatLeftist]

86. You are very close :)

When someone here gets banned, it is often referred to as being "tombstoned". In the US there is (or was?) a type of frozen pizza called "Tombstone", that had some fairly witty ads in the past in the US. Most anything about pizza, then, is related to this - implying that the person is about to get banned, and the phrase "What would you like on your Tombstone?" is often said (it was a line from the TV ads).

The guy above me seemed to fit the description, as he seems to have a raging Hannity for Barney Frank these days, just like every mouth-breathing Fox News fan out there.

On Edit: If I misconstrued the remarks to which I replied, I hereby apologize, but also would recommend a clarification of what you mean.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

92. Yeah that is what I meant

I get it now, I have heard tombstoned and am familiar with the pizza. It is funny.

[Enthusiast]

118. Well, you know, Barney

is single handedly responsible for the economic collapse. I heard it on Fox News so I know it to be true. :sarcasm:

[spiritual_gunfighter]

93. Your Karl Marx avatar gives you away

Quit now, you've been outed.

[debunkthelies]

108. 'They' started

wiretapping and spying on the entire Congress and House probably as far back as Tricky Dick, I think they got really serious when H.W. was director of the C.I.A., getting the dirt on everyone and anyone who might stand in their way.:tinfoilhat: :hide: :rofl: Anyone who they couldn't blackmail was discredited or killed. But that's just my opinion:crazy:

[Enthusiast]

117. I have suspected this TYPE

of Bush Administration malfeasance all along. How else could we explain the mysterious happenings?

[No Elephants]

43. More than one indictment in that story--unless the statute of limitations is up.

[katty]

53. Jane has always been a tool for AIPAC-now she's busted

[leveymg]

112. One thing I can't quite figure out is why she would talk on the phone about this with an Israeli

intelligence officer, reportedly Naor Gilon, who was also involved in the Larry Franklin case.

Didn't Jane know that the FBI has been legally wiretapping the Israeli Embassy, out of which Mr. Gion worked, for more than 30 years? Or, did she think that had stopped? It's not like this sort of thing hadn't happened before: Jim Lobe reports, http://www.newsfollowup.com/docs/aipac/shalom_center_aipac.doc

In 1970, one year after he was hired by Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson, an FBI wiretap authorized for the Israeli Embassy picked up Mr. Perle discussing classified information with an embassy official, while Mr. Wolfowitz was investigated in 1978 for providing a classified document on the proposed sale of a U.S. weapons system to an Arab government to an Israeli official via an AIPAC staffer.

[SlingBlade]

14. K & R THAT

[No Elephants]

42. Except that the story was full of bad actors, only one of whom was a Democrat.

[blm]

79. Douglas Brinkley said back in April2004 that Clintons were stabbing Kerry in the back constantly. We

KNOW McAuliffe never lifted a finger to help Dem state party infrastructures secure elections after 2000s theft and let the thefts happen again in 2002 and 2004, too.


Some powerful Democrats NEEDED Bush to stay in office past 2004.

[pleah]

2. K&R I think when, or if, hearings are ever held on

the corruptions of our government, there will be a lot of dems as well as thugs that might go down.

I think that is why they are not holding anyone accountable for what happened in the bush&co regime.

[rucognizant]

5. I knew this back then!

If you were tuned in: this whole story of corruption and greed was apparent then. But we were called 'conspiracy theorists" and scorned!
Now the RW has stolen the label " conspiracy theorist" and distorted it 365o.

[davekriss]

6. I believe you are absolutely right

It is likely the complicity of leading Democrats during the Bush reign that is preventing the pursuit of justice now. A real shame, tragedy really, for democracy and the American people.

[williesgirl]

3. Until we eliminate corporate/PAC etc bribes and go w/public financing of all level elections, we'll

get more of the same regardless of party affiliation. rec'd

[No Elephants]

44. Was Harman motivated by money? Her wiki says she is in the top 5 richest in Congress.

[sce56]

69. She is the one that wrote the Home Grown Terrorism act!

The one that can put you in jail for protesting against government policy! She needs to go and I would say this sounds like Treason to me! She also has a major chunk of the Military Industrial Complex in her district Yep there is lots of money in govt contracts in the south bay area of LA Boeing, Grumman Northrup, Raytheon etc, etc all in her district! I know I used to live there!

[nashville_brook]

71. i had totally forgotten about that. thanks for the remind.

[nashville_brook]

70. she was motivated/bribed with the Chair of the Intelligence Committee -- it's POWER

much more valuable than mere dollars.

[underpants]

4. AIPAC impacts and influences policy more than the Consitution

as well as all the money flowing in to keep them re-elected

So we like wiretaps now? :shrug:

[Jackpine Radical]

8. Rahm--AIPAC--Maybe now we know why no prosecutions.

Wiretaps, torture, whatever--All in a good cause.

[Name removed]

63. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. Finally, an explanation as to why Bush always got what he wanted

without real fights and filibusters. They targeted key powerful people and bribed them. Wish we were more certain of this back then -would have saved a lot a time - hoping futilely. Makes me wonder what the Repukes got who went along 98% of the time.

[PassingFair]

36. Bribed or BLACKMAILED them...

as appears to be the case with Harman,
who we KNEW was putting AIPAC's agenda before
the concerns of the citizens of the US.

How was the tap on her even LEGAL?
Did Gonzales go to the FISA court
to get a warrant within the legal
parameters?

He must have in this instance....

"Democrats" like Lieberman and
Harman and Bayh are a big part
of the reason that Bush was
able to kill and/or displace
millions of Iraqis.

We need to "drain" our own "swamp".

[Laura PourMeADrink]

54. "Moderates. " (Imagine I am saying that like Seinfeld

says, "Newman". Moderates, to me, have no soul. They don't give a shit one way or the other. They have no convictions about anything. So therefore, they think, what's in it for me.

Just like I couldn't imagine that Bush wouldn't get kicked out of office immediately when there were no WMD, It is unbelievable to me that he and others are getting away with lying us into a war, torturing people, and robbing us blind.

[PassingFair]

57. They knew that no one believed them. They think it's OK...

because NO ONE STOPPED them.

It's the old "you knew I was a snake
when you let me in" defense.

Allows plausible deni-ability for
the "Moderates"...

:puke:

[dkf]

10. Hey maybe wiretapping is necessary to US National Security!

Apparently it has exposed a Rep who is at the beck and call of another countries agents. Whodathunk?

[jberryhill]

29. Well, there you go....

If it were possible to have some sort of "silent priesthood" do that sort of thing...

The problem is - all we have are people.

[No Elephants]

45. It ain't about the wiretapping; it's about the warrantless wiretapping.

[dkf]

61. Looks like the wiretap was legal...part of an investigation of AIPAC.

But Bushies didn't prosecute because they wanted her help on warrantless wiretaps. This is bad.

[xchrom]

11. recommend

[peacetalksforall]

12. I want to use a strong word, but all of us could tell that she aided and

abetted the PNAC regime. You could tell. I cringed when she spoke. I think we are screwed with Emanuel guiding policy. Look at the DLC and you will see that it has been going on for at least two decades. I thought the institutionn that is the DLC could be replaced. He's protecting himself.

[Lena inRI]

33. Read "Othello" by Shakespeare. . .

. . .Othello = President Obama. . . .Iago = Rahm Emanuel

Rahm's an uncanny, dead-ringer for the Iago character who connives to bring anything down in front of his rise.

Obama's tragic flaw may not be Othello's jealousy but, if he continues to keep Emanuel as his adviser, he's destined for a tragic fall like Othello. . .IMHO.

Mr. President, get out from under this insidious influence. . .put yourself back on course with someone you can trust. . .for all our sakes.



Lawrence Fishbourne and Kenneth Brannagh as Othello and Iago

http://www.field-of-themes.com/shakespeare/essays/Eothelloiago.htm

:smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke:

[crikkett]

66. What's Rahm got to do with Harman?

I didn't understand the connection. Thanks.

[Lena inRI]

68. Ask #12 poster, peacetalksforall. nt

[peacetalksforall]

80. They're both DLC. The DLC is our litle known Republican branch of the Democratic Party.

[KoKo]

13. I wonder if Harmon could be charged with "Election Tampering" for 2004?

from the article:

"Harman, he told Goss, had helped persuade the newspaper to hold the wiretap story before, on the eve of the 2004 elections. And although it was too late to stop the Times from publishing now, she could be counted on again to help defend the program."

Would this news have helped Kerry or hurt him? How many votes might he have picked up. Or does it even matter.

[disndat]

15. Maybe Obama made a smart move

when he advocated the right of the executive dept. to continue wiretapping. Now the Dems can spy on the Republicans. Turnabout is fair play. There was evidence that Bush spied and wiretapped the Kerry's '04 campaign. Remember "Debategate" when a Republican CIA operative stole Carter's notebook he used for notes preparing for the Reagan/Carter debates?

[Baby Snooks]

39. Let's go rob banks, too...

Now the Dems can spy on the Republicans because the Repubicans spied on the Democrats? Let's go rob banks, too, while we're at it. If someone else does it, it's okay? Either we respect rule of law or we don't.

Our statutes are not like the Bible. You don't get to choose which ones you like and which ones you don't and you don't get to decide which ones apply to you and which ones don't. And two wrongs, as they say, don't make a right.

[disndat]

98. I was merely thinking, fantasizing, maybe,

that the Republicans should be going bananas if they knew that they are being wiretapped. Would they demand an ironclad end to wiretapping?

[KansDem]

48. "Remember 'Debategate' ...?"

I believe George Will prepped Reagan with the stolen Carter notebook, then went on to write how wonderful the Gipper was in besting Carter.

Fuck, it's all been a show...just one big fucking show...for decades...

[disndat]

102. Was that the famous coup de grace

that Reagan delivered to Carter, "There you go again"?

[Enthusiast]

119. KansDem, I hate it

but I have to agree. It was apparent back then that Reagan's bunch was stinking up the place. I think it started with George H W Bush's CIA stint. Imagine using the resources of the American intelligence services in a way contrary to the spirit of the constitution and calling anyone that stood in the way-un-American.

[snooper2]

16. Link takes you to third page in article..

FYI everyone

[notadmblnd]

17. they were blackmailing her.

Gonzales called off the FBI investigation in return for her support. This only confirms that blackmail and coercion is SOP in Washington DC.

While this story has been previously reported, “what is new,” Stein reports, is the court-approved NSA wiretap. Previous reports also said that an investigation of Harman was dropped because of “lack of evidence.” However, Stein reports that one official “with first-hand knowledge” of the case “called that ‘bull****’” and that “according to knowledgeable officials,” it was actually then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales who intervened on Harman’s behalf to stop the FBI’s investigation in exchange for her help selling the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretap program
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/04/20/gonzales-harman-nsa/

You can bet your butt they do this with all of them including Obama.

[Enthusiast]

120. This explains the mess we are in.

Well, there is only one solution, we need to look ahead. :sarcasm:

[tekisui]

18. I don't know which makes me madder. Spying on a member of Congress

or the Democratic member doing AIPAC's bidding. Or the blackmailing from the DoJ.:grr:

[bemildred]

22. I can tell you what is going to make the Congress madder. nt

[Cass]

19. Its pretty slimy for a Congress person to lobby on behalf of people who were charged with espionage

against the US. It really frosts my ass that Harmon would even agree to intervene in a case like that.

I hope this whole sordid mess will be pursued further by the DOJ.

edit for typo

[Fireweed247]

60. That is TREASON!

And we should be demanding she resign immediately!!

We cannot wait for another 'election'...AIPAC has already admitted that they control our elections
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5496371

[Cass]

75. I agree with you wholeheartedly.

And its high time AIPAC got sidelined. They have way too much influence over elected officials.

[AzDar]

20. Wow. This is just UGLY.

:puke:

[captainjack08]

21. Pulling the Israeli card...

...its what they always do when they want to push back the public from looking too close at Official State Secrets... pull Israel out of the magic hat and use it as a firewall against any and all criticism. To criticize them you first have to criticize Israel. It's exactly why Bush and Cheney were surrounded by jewish PNAC folk. Why the Pentagon comptroller when Rumsfeld mentioned the Pentagon couldn't account for 2 Trillion dollars was Jewish. And why Fox News brought out the Israeli spies story right after 9/11. And it is why AIPAC was huge news right after 9/11 and then also discarded. Stories like this tend to pop up in the news when U.S. intelligence is in trouble... like it is right now for kidnapping and torturing children with insects to get at the terrorist parents. For the entire history of Israel, Israel has been used by the west as a scapegoat, proxy and firewall by western intelligence. And for most of that history Israel has willingly played right along at the expense of their own reputation and people.

So now we wait and see what type of new story Seymour Hersh drops. Back and forth... back and forth.

[Lithos]

23. Israel has really nothing to do with this

Harman was caught on an illegal wiretap doing something she shouldn't have. The Bush regime then took this and blackmailed her to support said wiretap program including using her to delay a potentially damaging story which may have helped swing the election had the timing occurred as originally planned.

The item to which Harman was caught has been under investigation. Had the Bush regime not impeded the investigation, she likely would have been indicted and likely convicted already.

L-

[berni_mccoy]

27. Actually, Israel has everything to do with it. They are the ultimate benefactor of the blackmail.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[berni_mccoy]

35. Overreact much? AIPAC benefited from the blackmail. It's that simple.

[Gator_Matt]

72. The US destablized Iraq...

Toppling a nearby power presumably gives Israel a bit more breathing room.

[mikelgb]

28. You're right this has way more to do with Luxembourg.

FAIL

"Harman was caught on an illegal wiretap doing something she shouldn't have (with a case NOT involving Israel). The Bush regime then took this and blackmailed her to support said wiretap program including using her to delay a potentially damaging story which may have helped swing the election had the timing occurred as originally planned.

The item (yes the ambiguous nothing-to-do-with-Israel item) to which Harman was caught has been under investigation. Had the Bush regime not impeded the investigation, she likely would have been indicted and likely convicted already."

[Adelante]

56. Did she *not* support the wiretap program before?

This is the part that's confusing me. My only surprise is that a NS hawk like Jane Harmon would even need to be blackmailed to support govt wiretaps. Also, I understood the first wiretap on the Israeli was a legal wiretap. No? Thanks if you can clear up these questions.

[KansDem]

74. L.A. Times reported this as a *legal* wiretap

Harman issued a furious rebuttal today. In a prepared statement, she said:

These claims are an outrageous and recycled canard, and have no basis in fact. I never engaged in any such activity. Those who are peddling these false accusations should be ashamed of themselves.

As Stein said, "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." Neither, he said, is the allegation that the FBI dropped its investigation of the case for "a lack of evidence."

What is new, Stein said, is word from intelligence sources about the court-approved NSA tap, and about this nugget: those same sources say the case was dropped not for lack of evidence but because of pressure from Bush Atty. Gen. Alberto Gonzales, who apparently hoped in return that Harman would help President Bush win approval for its warrantless wiretap program.

Pelosi never did give Harman the chairmanship, passing her over for Sylvester Reyes, the El Paso Democrat who became the first Latino to hold the job.

LA Times blog

...not that it makes this scandal any more palatable.

[Name removed]

64. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dgibby]

24. Isn't this the same Jane Harmon

who wanted to make "thought" a crime?

[Historic NY]

25. Its time for her to be relegated to the plain white room..

in essence she was an agent of a foreign government. She became a double or triple dupe. What other activities has she engaged in that might be damaging to the US Government?

[DirtyDawg]

26. Look, you don't have to wiretap...

...Pols to find out who's shilling for AIPAC and who's not. Believe me, these folks don't give money to anybody that hasn't long since toed the line about Israel and that information is published every year. Fact is there are at least as many Democrats at or near the top of the 'recipients' list as there are Repugs. Ms. Harman is just one more that has been in Congress long enough to come to rely on their money. My Congressman, John Lewis, is yet another.

[cali]

30. vote her the fuck out. this kind of shit is totally unacceptble.

[Uncle Joe]

31. The irony of the situation is that

an illegal wiretap exposing a "completed crime" by a Congressperson was prevented from becoming a legal wiretap of that congressperson because she supported illegal wiretaps.

<snip>

"Justice Department attorneys in the intelligence and public corruption units who read the transcripts decided that Harman had committed a “completed crime,” a legal term meaning that there was evidence that she had attempted to complete it, three former officials said.

And they were prepared to open a case on her, which would include electronic surveillance approved by the so-called FISA Court, the secret panel established by the 1979 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to hear government wiretap requests."

<snip>

[lib2DaBone]

34. Sadly...I think the corruption in Govt goes deep and wide...

When a large number of high-level staffers in the White House hold duel citizenship, (as in Bush cabinet) one wonders where their loyalty really lies? (not sure if Rahm Emanuel is a duel citizen.. although he might be)

Even though cabinet members are sworn to serve the U.S., I'm not sure the best interest of America is always their goal?

[Idealism]

114. That "dual citizenship" line was mostly made up, sorry to tell you

Yes, there were many Jews in the Bush cabinet, but the majority did not hold dual citizenship with the US and Israel. There was an email going around saying so that was steeped in anti-Semitic bigotry and lacking on the factual end.

There was plenty enough shit for brains Bush did wrong in his presidency that we don't have to make up claims about him or his ilk.

[LeftishBrit]

124. Thanks!

There is a canard that ALL Jews have 'dual citizenship' with Israel, because they do have eligibility to emigrate there under the 'right of return'. But until and unless they do emigrate, they are not citizens; so basically that's an antisemitic lie. Also, I've seen that e-mail, which I think originated with some hate-site, and it says that John Bolton is a 'dual citizen' with Israel - and he isn't even Jewish and has no links to Israel whatsoever.

The argument that certain people, because of their ethnic or religious or other background, are not true citizens of their country, is one of the most disgusting and basically RW things there is, whether it relates to Jews, Muslims, atheists, descendants of immigrants, etc. etc. Our far-right MP Norman Tebbit wanted British Asians to prove their loyalty by the 'cricket test' of cheering for Britain against their ancestral country at cricket matches. The Israeli far-right want Arabs to sign loyalty oaths. American racists claim that Obama is really a foreigner and needs to prove that he was born in America. All are horses out of the same stable.

[Joanne98]

37. NATCH!

:mad:

[Truth2Tell]

38. Traitor Jane belongs in prison.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=hsnews-000003098436&cpage=1

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."

[cascadiance]

47. Feinstein wanted her to head the CIA instead of Paneta...

http://www.wowowow.com/post/sen-feinstein-hits-back-against-obamas-cia-pick-rep-jane-harman-passed-over-job-167674

and Feinstein is head of committees where she should know what the NSA was spying on, and that likely she knew about this problem earlier even when being Harman's advocate...

And then again Feinstein was looking to be the hero to be the first to come out to expose the attorney firings (feeling threatened DiFi?), but turned around and cut a deal to give Mukasey approval to replace Gonzo...

Something really STINKS about Feinstein in this mess!

[Truth2Tell]

81. Amen to that. Rockefeller stinks

to high heaven as well. Pelosi too. We have traitors in our midst. They are disgrace to our Party and to America. Criminals.

[Gregorian]

41. Something is wrong when one or two people have this much control.

What about the others in Congress? What about the law? Were they silenced somehow?

It looks to me that Congress was more fearful of Bush than of the legal consequences of violating the law.

There should be immediate consequences to people who were involved in this stuff. Why are we not seeing prosecutions, impeachments? At least the facts are beginning to come out. But justice delayed is meaningless. Harman will be gone. Iraqis are dead. Our civil rights have been violated. America has moved in a wrong direction. Mission accomplished. How do we undo this?

[madrchsod]

46. there is no israeli influence in our government and of course...

turkey,the "friendly" middle eastern countries,india,china,and japan...what country did i leave out?

jane had the misfortune of getting caught...

[No Elephants]

49. Primary Ms. Moneybags!

[Divine Discontent]

52. Jane needs to have her day in court along with the other crims..... shame on her. disgusting. eom

[DallasNE]

55. So Bush Wiretapped Members Of Congress

That was so J. Edgar Hoover of him. With this, we can now safely say that Bush represented the worst of both J. Edgar Hoover and Richard Nixon. Some legacy that is. This is clearly criminal conduct so why aren't people being arrested?

[PassingFair]

58. Were they Bush wiretaps, or AIPACs?

Unclear.

[Zhade]

111. Because Obama and the rest of the Dems are fucking COWARDS.

NT!

[Enthusiast]

121. Use your imagination for an answer

to that question.

[tomp]

62. corruption, corruption, corruption.

from top to bottom the govt of the u.s. is corrupt. if you don't realize this is the most important issue of all, you know nothing. this is why bush or any govt official within earshot of a crime or potential crime must be investigated and prosecuted if called for. the "caesar's wife" standard must apply to all govt officials.

[Blackhatjack]

65. The danger of wiretaps is that those in power can be blackmailed, quietly controlled...

I don't presume to know if Harman was recorded doing anything improper with or on the behalf of AIPAC, but I do know that just the threat of blackmail can affect the independent judgment of governmental representatives given their constant concern with upcoming reelection.

I hope I am wrong, but I suspect that Repubs have surreptitiously used wiretaps to 'influence' Democrats and others in Congress who would be naturally inclined to oppose them.

Remember, there does not have to be any actual blackmail proposal to get the desired result as long as the target believes they might have done something which might have been captured by a warrantless wiretap.

[paparush]

67. There has GOT to be some fashion of accountability.

Somebody's GOT to go to prison for this sh*t!

[Reform]

73. i agree

im so sick of this turn the other cheek crap
We need acountability
What is a nation that obey's not its own laws

[Enthusiast]

122. I'm with you on this.

A highly placed Bush Administration actor should be the first somebody.

[Better Believe It]

76. K & R

[Dirigo]

77. Jane Harman came from living in her car

Jane came into politics after living quite a life of deprivation even living in a car for a while. You would think she would be a bit more loyal to her constituency who elected her giving her an opportunity of a lifetime but squandering it to help the likes of the Evil Bush/Cheney regime. I am really disappointed in her actions. I think she owes a contrite apology to the public on national news in order to redeem herself in the eyes of her constituency.
What do you think?

[cascadiance]

104. Huh? She's one of the wealthiest members of congress and was married to stereo pioneer...

Sidney Harman who founded Harman International Industries that gave us things like Harman-Kardon turntables and other hi-fi gear. Hardly a life of deprivation!

[blm]

78. NOW do people understand why some of us say some powerful Democrats were HELPING Bush in 2004

so he could stay in office? 2002 and 2004 were set up to be stolen while McAuliffe's DNC sat on its hands.

Establishment Democrats did NOT want Kerry in the White House with the power to open government to the people. Harman is part of that faux Dem cabal.

[benld74]

83. Maybe ALL POLITICOS from BOTH sides need to be wiretapped

24/7, with their talks published everyday so we can see who does what, when, for whom and for how much!

[knixphan]

84. I'm in her district...

ANY primary opponent has my full support!

[martymar64]

97. I used to be in her district (Mar Vista)

I know there must be SOMEBODY in that district that can take her on in a primary challenge and take her down. Just not that awful Ruth Galanter, she's in bed with the Playa Vista folks that fucked up the Ballona Wetlands.

[cascadiance]

105. We need to recruit Marcy Winograd to run again...

for that seat... Although she was quite the underdog against Jane before, I think she might get a lot of support this time around. She'd be a great progressive to have replace Harman in that area.

[JNelson6563]

85. Who here is surprised? Raise your hand.

I see no hands going up.

Julie--yawning

[Jefferson23]

87. This news is infuriating and sickening.

[JCMach1]

88. Jane Harman (D, AIPAC)

:(

[Grinchie]

89. I think that members of Government that make policy should be accountable

When I was in the Military, Officers were held to a giher standard than other simply because of their ability to order other people to do what they were told. This power could be abused, so the Military went out of their way to instill a sense of honor, and a penalty for abusing the trust instituted in them.

I think the most interesting thing about this story, is that the office of the president is mandated by law to preserve an audit trail of communications that shape policy, yet Bush himself circumvented the standard communications channels, most likely to avoid a pre-existing system that was already in place.

5 million emails lost.. Blackberries, Private email accounts, etc.

Meanwhile, the existing system is expanded and abused, or perhaps not expanded at all. It is well known urban legend that the Government has been monitoring prone calls for decades, and if you don't think that it's possible, their were enormous resources spent during the Cold war for just this sort of thing.

If the story is factual, and Harmon was indeed supporting AIPAC in this fashion, then maybe this will open the eyes of the "Frothing at the mouth, I support Democrats no matter what, just because they are democrats" crowd, and get them to entertain that the goverment is indeed full of self serving, legislators for hire, and get off their asses and flush them out of town.

Party does not matter if it supports the Back Office mode of governing the people.

[ChiciB1]

90. If I Say I'm Speechless Then I'd Have To Say I'm STUPID As Well....

I've known for a very long time that we've had VERY VERY little Representation from our own Democratic Party, and that so many have turned a blind eye, but WHEN WILL "we the people" have our voices heard, IF EVER... AGAIN???

In reality it IS Taxation WITHOUT Representation! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SICK of hearing about the extent of CORRUPTION by those who would UPHOLD THE LAW!!!!

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!!

[drcool44]

91. Does Anybody remember The Good ol" Days

when those elected to high office actually put the interests of the American People First..instead of Israel? I know...seems pretty quaint..eh? Hard to imagine.

This story simply reveals... yet again, that Washington DC is also occupied territory ..not just the West Bank and Gaza. And the occupants have nothing but utter contempt for America and Americans.

They see America as nothing but an ATM Machine - a host for their cynical criminality that is to be milked dry while beer swilling, comatose lemmings sit in front of the boob tube watching Desperate Housewives and American Idol - as what little is left crashes in around them.

Maybe if a few of these filthy treasonous whores like Harmon started getting regularly "Wellstoned", it would get their attention. Ya think?

Harmon and her ilk have only one thing coming:

To be propped up against the nearest wall and shot.

[rateyes]

94. Dear Mr. President, you cannot govern effectively without

holding people accountable for their crimes. That means a special prosecutor for the torture issue. That means a special prosecutor to look in to Jane Harman, the Bush administration, Nancy Pelosi, etc. on this issue.

It's time to quit looking the other way. It's time to stand up and clean out the corruption from our government. The people of this country will support you in that.

Do the right thing, Mr. President.

[CLANG]

95. Another stab to the heart

I don't know how much more my heart can take. I'm living at the blood bank as it is! :cry:

[azmesa207]

96. Seem

to me Obama is for that as well and he seem to think torture is ok as well .

[SOS]

99. Text of Obama's first executive order - January 22, 2009

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/EnsuringLawfulInterrogations/

[dixiegrrrrl]

100. Getting harder and harder to stay in denial, ain't it?

[IndianaGreen]

101. So Gonzales blackmailed Harman to get her okay on warrantless searches.

As the Bible says, the truth shall set you free.

[SeeHopeWin]

103. Can we charge her with TREASON?

[ProSense]

106. More info

here and here

[McCamy Taylor]

107. It's way past SPECIAL PROSECUTOR time. Eric Holder needs to appoint someone to investigate

Alberto Gonzales and the other Bush administration officials who spied upon (and almost certainly blackmailed) lawyers, journalists and elected officials. They probably spied on CEOs, too. Maybe when that shoe drops, the press will sit up and take notice.

[Enthusiast]

123. It is too widespread and there

would be evidence, would it become public knowledge, that would result in a wholesale uprising. Anyway, they are not going to investigate shit.

[EndElectoral]

109. Damn, this is shameful. With the economy, it won't get coverage, but it should

[pjt7]

110. Another Traitor

eom

[yurbud]

113. please show this DLC piece of shit the door and elect a real Democrat in her district.

[NoodleyAppendage]

115. Harman and Feinstein are a blight upon our party. Can we please agree to vote against them? n/t

J

[knixphan]

126. Agreed!!

:thumbsup:

[Fireweed247]

116. kick

:kick:

[Doctor_J]

125. Hartmann is discussing this - believes Harman was being blackmailed

Probably due to the wiretaps on her phone.