Report: Democratic Congresswoman Jane Harman Cut Deal With Israeli Agent For Lobbying Support And AG Gonzalez Gave Her A Pass

Oh boy.

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 return, Harman expected her interlocutor to lobby soon to be Speaker Pelosi into naming Harman the head of the House Select Intelligence Committee. The post ultimately went to Silvestre Reyes.

The cherry on top? The Bush administration, through AG Gonzalez, may have given her a pass on criminal charges to keep her support on surveillance programs.

Harman denies any wrongdoing.

Read the whole thing. If true, it's an ugly and messy story. If true, it's also more proof, if any were needed, that Gonzalez was one of the most incompetent men to hold the office of Attorney General in history.

BTW- The report also says Harman knew she stepped into it by making this deal. At one point she is reported to have said...

“This conversation doesn’t exist.”

Ooops. It apparently does.

posted by DrewM. at 11:29 AM

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