Harman Wiretapping: AIPAC Lobbyist Charges To Be Dropped

The Washington Post:

The U.S. government is abandoning espionage-law charges against two former lobbyists for a pro-Israel advocacy group, federal officials announced this morning.

Prosecutors said they will ask a judge to dismiss the case against Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman because a series of court decisions had made it unlikely they would win convictions. The two are former lobbyists for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, an influential advocacy group.

Read the whole story: The Washington Post

Comments

[mom2sons]

Not being funny or anything, but that's why people think it was a government conspiracy about 9/11. This helps to continue the rumors or whatever people may think and keep it in a negative light. Especially for people who have little power, we see other groups having considerable power and it all stinks like......

[-0013]

Jealousy is an ugly thing.

[MimiGardner]

I believe Rosen was recently active in derailing Charles Freeeman's appointment to the National Intelligence Council. Here is a link:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-10/obamarsquos-mideast-policy-smackdown/

[semorg]

Franklin was sentenced to 12 years for giving the information to these guys. Interesting "justice"!

[Goefel]

We can all look forward to more espionage now.
Is rael is the new frontier for America.
We give it billions in aid, it's almost like a colony of the USA.

But there is no return on this colony.
We only have to put in more resources toward it
and never question what they do.

Nice move Eric Holder. You are a friend for the USA.
If this trial doesn't get prosecuted, it is a clear reminder about who
is calling the shots in corrupted Washington.

[blueskybigstar]

If we think they did it and it is a matter of national security, it is our duty to prosecute this as far as the Supreme Court. We also need to lengthen all of these statutes of limitations to keep the bad guys from getting away in our government.

[JoeSomebody]

The definition of treason, and less than 2% of the people in this country will even now it happened.

[blueskybigstar]

Keep this story going because this will lead to all the other things we need to know. Never forget. Don't let anybody ever forget. Write Eric Holder.

[semorg]

I think us 2% need to unit and defend our country.

[blueskybigstar]

I think we 2% can't let this issue go away.

[JoeSomebody]

$$$$$$$$$$­$$$$$$$$$$

[blueskybigstar]

Jane Harman almost lost one of those elections and needed an extra boost of cash. She will go down. People in Venice won't let her get away with this. They may even elect somebody who is determined to have her investigated. What was the name of the woman who almost beat her?

[semorg]

She doesn't need any cash. Her husband owns the famed harmon-kardon stereo company that you see on all fancy cars!

[blueskybigstar]

Sounds like the judge needs to be impeached who decided that showing "intent" was necessary. Just sharing classified information with another country shows intent. Showing intent makes prosecuting a case extraodinarily more difficult. What happened about not knowing the law does not absolve one of guilt? This is a matter of national security and they are demanding intent? What they are hiding is the complicity of the Bush Administration and what that implicates for them by sharing state secrets and why. There needs to be a law about monitoring presidents and state's secrets for the record and any exchange of secrets with any country or providing of secret weapons to operatives. I bet this has to do with that Jane Harman thing and her being allegedly black mailed by Gonzalez to.support the Patriot Act. They don't want this story to go anywhere because it will open a huge can of worms.

[ktal]

Amazing. The courts rule that pro-Israel lobbyists have the right to use classified information, and rule that Guantanamo detainees don't have the right use it, despite the fact that there is a lot of already available evidence against the former, and virtually none against the latter. Go America.

[blueskybigstar]

great points.

[IntellectuallyHonest]

No, this isn't a surprise, but it is certainly a disappointment. As Ariel Sharon said, "EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING, YOU TELL ME AMERICANS WILL DO THIS AND WILL DO THAT. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING VERY CLEAR: DON'T WORRY ABOUT AMERICAN PRESSURE ON ISRAEL;

WE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE, CONTROL AMERICA. AND THE AMERICANS KNOW IT.

Sharon said this on October 3rd, 2001.

[blueskybigstar]

OMG. Only two reasons this could have been said:

1. Israel has infiltrated our government completely, something that would have taken years and years to do

and/or

2. They recently experienced some turn of cards that put them in a new position of power which they had never experienced before.

Because this was so soon after the event in NY, and because there is no history of them being so arrogant towards America, the country that supports them without getting much in return, I am inclined to believe it is number 2, if not both. It seems to me, knowing about the Mossad filming the event, Israel warning America about it, the fact that they broke their lease to get out of their offices at the buildings, the fact that Tenet said in a Saudi prince's pool drunk that the "Js sold him out", makes me inclined to believe that Israel has been blackmailing the United States about information about the event in NY. Probably the same was being done by other countries. Where did the TARP and bail out money go?

[blueskybigstar]

I just fanned you.

[-0013]

Sharon said this to Peres during an argument and was overheard by a reporter. There is no excuse for the comment but it's not as if Sharon said this in a speech to the Knessett.

[semorg]

Now we know why the Harman wiretraps were leaked. Someone inside was against the decision and wanted to bring it out.

[TJCole]

A very good observation...!

[semorg]

And Franklin got 12 years on 2006 for supplying them the information. This is laughable!

[semorg]

What a BS...I love how hufpo editors buried this one :)

[Snuffleupagus]

it's what they do best

[Goefel]

Well put. Time to bury another bone for our A I PAC friends.

[ddorsey443]

I'm not concerned about the fact that the case is not being tried; it is unlikely that the prosecution would be able to convict the lobbyists under the 1917 Espionage Act anyway. However, given the recent reports that Rep. Harman may have had a taped conversation with an AIPAC lobbyist seeking leniency in this case, I do think that the USJD should grant Ms. Harman's request to have the full transcripts of the conversation released to the public. The coincidence of this decision by the prosecution (Rosen and Weissman were charged 4 years ago) and the recent reports about Harman seems suspicious; any doubts about her connection to the case should be addressed.

[blueskybigstar]

Don't let this scandal die. This is the tip of the ice berg. Everything begins here.

[abouttime]

This is scandal.
Law and order?

[Macready]

the AIPAC obviously has a long reach . . .

[ptarantino]

So there guilty, but will not be tried due to a techincal snag or a back-door agreement.

America get's even phonier.

[Goefel]

They stalled this trial for four years and waited for the Democrats to take power. Too bad Washington is so corrupt. Even if you have a president who talks about change, the beltway filth we call Congress is rotten to it's core.

[blueskybigstar]

When the mafia takes over the law this is what happens.

[Bendo1960]

wow....what a suprise...didnt see that coming! NOT!

[ProfessorDuh]

Yes. What. A. Shock.