Pro-Israel Lobby Has Strong VoiceAIPAC Is Embroiled in Investigation of Pe

[seemslikeadream]

AIPAC Is Embroiled in Investigation of Pentagon Leaks

By Thomas B. Edsall and Molly Moore
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, September 5, 2004; Page A10

...........

Two days after the first news reports, Republican politicians -- normally wary of controversy -- turned out in force at an AIPAC-sponsored event outside the GOP convention in New York. By AIPAC's count, the attendees included more than 60 House members, eight senators, five governors, two Bush Cabinet members and Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman.

.........

Through more than 2,000 meetings with members of Congress, AIPAC activists help pass more than 100 pro-Israel legislative initiatives a year. On its Web site, AIPAC lists priorities including legislation to curb Iran's nuclear program; procuring nearly $3 billion in aid for Israel; and funding U.S.-Israeli efforts to build a defense against unconventional weapons.

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In 2002, two Democrats in Congress with records of voting against Israel's interests -- Reps. Earl Hilliard of Alabama and Cynthia McKinney of Georgia -- faced primary opponents who received substantial support from Jewish donors. A majority of AIPAC board members gave to either McKinney's challenger or Hilliard's or both. Hilliard and McKinney lost. Bill Banks, McKinney's campaign manger, charged that AIPAC had made her the "No. 1 candidate to try to remove from office." AIPAC denied the accusation.

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Rep. David R. Obey (Wis.), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and a supporter of the policies of the more dovish Labor Party in Israel, contends that AIPAC has "pushed the Likud Party line and in the process has crowded out other voices in the Jewish community," especially those pressing for withdrawal from West Bank settlements as a concession in the peace process.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62438-2004Sep4.html


FBI probe into leaked secrets embroils Israeli lobbying group
At a reception co-hosted by Aipac in New York, guests included 70 Republican members of Congress, two members of President Bush’s Cabinet, five state governors and three top staffers of the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, according to BusinessWeek.

As almost 2000 guests nibbled on grilled vegetables and smoked salmon, Bush’s campaign chair Ken Mehlman was introduced thusly: “We are honoured that President Bush’s campaign is being managed by one of us.”

With 85,000 members, many of them relatively wealthy , Aipac is ranked by Fortune magazine as America’s fourth most powerful lobbying group.

“It’s a very skilled organ isation,” said Dan Byman, a Middle East expert who teaches security studies at Georgetown University. Aipac, traditionally close to both Israel and the Pentagon, claims to hold more than 2000 meetings a year with mem bers of Congress and to have a role in dozens of pieces of pro-Israel legislation in Washington.

In the first six months of this year Aipac spent £410,000 on lobbying, says the Centre for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in US politics. But its clout, and its ability to leverage financial support, is far greater than that.

more
http://www.sundayherald.com/44533

[Eloriel]

1. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Very good info, which I'll read shortly. In the meantime, one of the high points for me was this graf:

In 2002, two Democrats in Congress with records of voting against Israel's interests -- Reps. Earl Hilliard of Alabama and Cynthia McKinney of Georgia -- faced primary opponents who received substantial support from Jewish donors. A majority of AIPAC board members gave to either McKinney's challenger or Hilliard's or both. Hilliard and McKinney lost.

Esp. since there were so many anti-McKinney DUers (hmmm, wonder if all of them are even still here at DU) who INSISTED that AIPAC had nothing to do with McKinney's loss. McKinney, you see, had the audacity to want Palestinians to get slightly better treatment at the hands of THEIR occupiers.

[seemslikeadream]

2. and she was so worried about Congo and what Barrick Mining

was doing there.

:hi:

[seemslikeadream]

3. The Screwing of Cynthia McKinney

Greg Palast

........

After George Bush Senior left the White House, he became an advisor and lobbyist for a Canadian gold-mining company, Barrick Gold. Hey, a guy’s got to work. But there were a couple of questions about Barrick, to say the least. For example, was Barrick’s Congo gold mine funding both sides of a civil war and perpetuating that bloody conflict? Only one Congressperson demanded hearings on the matter.

You’ve guessed: Cynthia McKinney.

That was covered in the . . . well, it wasn’t covered at all in the U.S. press.

McKinney contacted me at the BBC. She asked if I’d heard of Barrick. Indeed, I had. Top human rights investigators had evidence that a mine that Barrick bought in 1999 had, in clearing their Tanzanian properties three years earlier, bulldozed mine shafts . . . burying about 50 miners alive.

I certainly knew Barrick: They’d sued the Guardian for daring to run a story I’d written about the allegations of the killings. Barrick never sued an American paper for daring to run the story, because no American paper dared.

The primary source for my story, an internationally famous lawyer named Tundu Lissu, was charged by the Tanzanian police with sedition, and arrested, for calling for an investigation. McKinney has been trying to save his life with an international campaign aimed at Barrick.

That was another of her mistakes.

more
http://www.alternet.org/story/16172

[Leilani]

4. They actually televised that rally on C-Span

& it was disgusting.

They introduced each & every pol there, & the faves of AIPAC got the loudest applause.

There was lots of shoulder slapping & butt kissing.

And this rally was held soon after the investigation into AIPAC was leaked. Some woman leader of the group gave a vigorous defense of the group. She was angry & indignant that anyone could believe the vile accusations being made.

[Eloriel]

5. Needs more sunshine

a morning :kick:

[Joanne98]

6. But McKinney coming back. * them.......n/t

[Copperred]

7. WHERE ARE THE AMERICANS!

THE ONLY REASON THE POLITICIANS DO WHAT THEY DO IS OUT OF FEAR. IF THEY ARE GIVEN A BIPARTISIAN SOLUTION TO RID BOTH OF THEM OF THE FEAR FACTOR>>>THEY WILL TAKE IT>>>>IS THIS IT?

SOMEONE>>>IS<<<GOING TO ASK KERRY ABOUT THIS>>>>HE BEST HAVE HIS ANSWER RIGHT>>>OR HIS PUBLIC SUPPORT WILL BE AT RISK...

"Honest John, do you support foreign agents, whether "allies" or not spying at the highlest levels of our government?"

THAT ASHCROFT IS TRYING TO BURY THIS IS SICK>>>AND MAKES THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION VERY VUNERABLE IF CORRECTLY PROPAGATED AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL>>>EOS.

ANY GOVERNMENT AND THEIR AGENTS THAT ARE SPYING ON US>>>IF CAUGHT>>>SHOULD BE LOCKED UP...ISRAEL UK INDIA WHOMEVER>>>>AND ALL POLITICIANS SHOULD BE IN AGREEMENT ON THAT.

IF AIPAC IS IN ON IT>>THEY SHOULD BE DISBANDED AND THEIR AMERICAN SUPPORTERS REGROUP AND LEARN FORM THEIR PAST MISTAKES....

INTERESTING ENOUGH, AMERICAN REFORM JEWS MORE THAN ANYONE SHOULD BE LEADING THIS CHARGE SO AS TO TAKE BACK THEIR RELIGION AND SPLIT IT FROM THIS FOREIGN NATIONALISM WHICH IS NOT RELIGION....

WHY IS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION BLOCKING A HUGE SPY SCANDAL?AND WHY IS KERRY THE MAN WHO NEEDS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL SECURITY SILENT?

CAN BIPARTISIANSHIP FREE THE WHITE HOUSE & CONGRESS FROM A FOREIGN INFLUENCE THAT HAS GROWN TOO STRONG AND***IS***A RISK TO US NATIONAL SECURITY? CAN THEY DO THEMSELVES A FAVOR HERE???? IF THEY THINK, THEY CAN.

.....BUSH SUPPORTS THE SPIES BECAUSE HE FEARS THEM....MOVE ON get on this......................