Posted on 04/20/2009 1:53:01 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Rep. Jane Harman is denying that she tried to interfere with a Justice Department prosecution of alleged spying for Israel and is questioning whether a federal agency was improperly spying on a member of Congress.
Harman (D-Calif.) responded angrily Monday to a story in CQ Politics reporting that the National Security Agency monitored a conversation in which she told a suspected Israeli agent that she would press prosecutors to reduce charges against two former officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee.
"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," said a statement from Harman's office.
She said that the CQ story "recycles three-year-old discredited reporting of largely unsourced material."
The story said she agreed to lobby the Justice Department in exchange for help in lobbying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee. Pelosi eventually passed her over for the position.
It also said that a connected investigation of Harman was dropped not for a "lack of evidence," as previously reported, but because of intervention by then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who wanted Harman's help in defending the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.
Harman said her support for AIPAC is well known, but that the rest of the story is groundless.
"Congresswoman Harman has never contacted the Justice Department about its prosecution of present or former AIPAC employees and the department has never informed her that she was or is the subject of or involved in an investigation," the Harman statement said.
AIPAC labeled the notion of a quid pro quo as "absurd."
"AIPAC would never engage in a quid pro quo on a federal investigation or any other federal matter. That is absurd," said AIPAC spokesman Patrick Dorton.
CQ quoted an NSA transcript in which Harman reportedly told the unidentified Israeli agent she would "waddle into" the AIPAC case "if you think it will make a difference." Before hanging up, according to the transcript, she said, "This conversation doesn't exist."
The transcript also shows she wasn't very complimentary of Gonzales, saying "he just follows White House orders."
Of course not, she got caught first and was offered a deal in exchange for pushing the wiretap bill. Some people need to go to jail if this is true, and not just her.
THEY ARE ALL DIRTY DEMOCRATS!
(yes, that is redundant)
Pleasepleaseplease let her be run out of office. I doubt it will happen, but it would be nice. She is one of many that I can’t stand.
It seems like Alberto Gonzales should be going to jail if he truly was promising to not prosecute in exchange for pushing bills.
If she is run out of office, she will be replaced by someone much worse. At least she is a blue dog dem who supports Israel. Her replacement would be a liberal extremest.
Interesting leak. Out of all the tapings, one that gets out hits Israel and one of the few ‘rats that is an ally of Israel. Hmmmm...
What she should be upset, and worried about, is the Obama administration leaked content of the wiretap.
Yes, that's the real story here.
You’re exactly right. This smacks of an Obama and Pelosi leak to me. Pelosi is not a Harman fan and Obama is Nancy’s puppet.
The real question is how,and by who, does a NSA wiretap get into the public domain?
Even more so, she is a Democrat on Defense/Intel type committees that isn't a raving loon. Hmm... If she has to step aside do we get a loon like another Ron Delums to bow and obey the Anointed one? My guess is she won't, and that is why this is surfacing now, just like AL Sharpton's problems have. This is Machiavellian get rid of your opposition, that are from your own party, consolidate power. Tell me where I am wrong here.....
Hmmmmm! Me thinks it does.
After looking at the problem between her and Pelosi, it seems quite clear an attack from Pelosi. As being reported tonite Harman is the only one that objected to the interrogation techniques. Pelosi is about to be outed and Harman is the outer. Dems eating their own.
FreeRepublic article about Fox News:
Fox News: [CA Democrat] Harman Vehemently Denies Bribery Allegations
I liberally put into the article that she was a "California Democrat"...
If the media will not give that emphasis, I will...
Same way the NYT got its exclusives on wire taps and secret prisons. From enemies within...
Re#13 ‘Morning. You are not wrong, I fear. Hopefully, saner ‘rats will awaken to what sort of outfit occupies the WH...
The Den Mother on Steroids ( Pelosi) is just cleaning house.
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