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Israeli Spies? We Don’t Know What You Mean…

Posted by JAZZ SHAW, Assistant Editor in Politics.
Apr 20th, 2009 | Comments

Since so many other people are already piling on to the party, I won’t spend too much time wondering why Jane Harmon was allegedly caught chatting up an Israeli spy, likely an associate of AIPAC. The question of the day for TMV readers is the following: what do all of these posts have in common?

Harmon Recorded Making Deal With Israeli Agents

Harman caught on wiretap bargaining for intervention in espionage case

Dem Harman Caught On Tape Making Deals For Committee Chairmanship

Well, they have a number of things in common. They all point out that Harmon is a Democrat in Congress and is in trouble. They all speculate on how the Democrats will spin this into something involving Bush and Alberto Gonzales. (We’ve even found one willing to blame the whole thing on Obama.)

But the glaring similarity all of these opinion pieces share is found more in what they don’t say. How is it that such a large volume of analysis could take place with not one person pausing to wonder what in the hell Irael was doing spying on us? Oh, wait… I forgot. We don’t ask questions like that about Israel and AIPAC is never to be mentioned in anything but glowing terms.

Oh, those adorable goofs at AIPAC! Last week it was goldfish in the water cooler and now they’re spying on us. What next? Woopie cushions in the Senate? Har Har Har!

Shhhhh… don’t repeat this, link to it, or mention it to your friends. It doesn’t matter which party holds power in Washington. If you’re heard asking questions about Israel, it will be your phone next now that they’ve already nailed down Harmon.

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HemmD

The question of the day for TMV readers is the following: what do all of these posts have in common?

Maybe the real story here is that a legal, FBI wire tap authorized through FISA is the correct method to find those who break the law or contemplate breaking the law. Point two would be that lobbyists hold far too much sway in directing how the American government functions.

Legal wiretaps cut on both sides of the political aisle, and even if both parties try to make this a political rock fight, the US will be better for knowing that this kind of BS takes place.

Rudi

Why aren't these wingnuts upset at AIPAC and Israel? ( just Harman) Should AIPAC agents be sent to GITMO?

manasia

WOW. The Israeli Voice actually has a critique of Israel. Man we are really in a recession.....

daveinboca

This smells a lot like Nancy Pelosi using a CQ mole to do a slam-bang rehash of an old story. Harman has been on Nancy's blacklist since forever, and getting the job of House Intelligence Cte Chair instead of Alcee Hastings or Mr. Reyes, who has it now, despite being barely literate. Nancy was Minority Ranking on the Intell Cte before the 2006 elections & didn't want her smarter colleague in the CA delegation succeeding her. Nancy suffers the Queen Bee syndrome in a serious way and Harman is simply the most qualified person to be Intell Chair. Lots of history and exceedingly fishy background to this "story."

And Jazz, why did the CIA rather than the FBI request the FISA taps between/among American citizens? Isn't that a domestic rather than a foreign jurisdiction, despite the espionage overtones?

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