Tawdry scandal at AIPAC

[marmar]

from By MJ Rosenberg | Sourced from Foreign Policy Matters, via AlterNet:




Tawdry Scandal Distracting AIPAC from its Usual Task of Standing in the Way of Peace


The latest AIPAC scandal has not found its way into the mainstream media, although the Jewish media has done a great job in highlighting this very explosive story. (LATE UPDATE: The Washington Post is now reporting on the story).

The good news is that it doesn't much matter whether the New York Times runs the story or not. The Rosen vs. AIPAC case is grinding its way through the courts and could well destroy the lobby without ever making its way on to the front page. AIPAC is under siege, and is spending millions to stay alive. But that won't be easy — even if Steve Rosen ultimately accepts a payoff from the organization and refrains from telling what he knows.

There is no need to recapitulate the story here. Nathan Guttman in the Forward explains it well. The bottom line is that Steve Rosen, AIPAC's former #2 guy, who was indicted under the Espionage Act and then fired, is now suing the organization for $20 million.

Ironically, the organization spent $4.5 million to save their former employee from imprisonment (and more money than that to save itself). In the end, the government dropped the case probably because it believed it would not prevail in court, especially with AIPAC's buddies in Congress breathing down the Justice Department's neck. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/342964/tawdry_scandal_distracting_aipac_from_its_usual_task_of_standing_in_the_way_of_peace/

[Me.]

1. Rosen Should Be In Jail

And AIPAC needs to lose everything it has. There was already a cooling towards AIPAC from within the American Jewish community and outside it. Congress people , though they won't say it, will probably be glad as a whole considering the blackmail, 'you support Israel or we will use our money to defeat you, that AIPAC applies. Carol Mosely Braun is a good example of that.

[leveymg]

2. Every telephone call and every conversation at AIPAC is in an FBI file. Jane Harman knows,

so do Rosen, Weissman and Franklin. So does half the Bush Administration. Nobody in their right mind deals with or through AIPAC, anymore. You might as well call the Russian Embassy and expect to do private business over the phone.

I'm not sure they're entirely through in this town, but I'd bet that the Republican Jewish Coalition is getting the heavy money and J-Street has the brains.