Aipac Forum, Day 1: Strengthening Ties — With Help From Purell
By Nathan Guttman
“Relationships Matter” is the slogan Aipac has chosen for this year’s annual policy conference, which opened on Sunday at the Washington Convention Center. “Relationships,” as in those between the U.S. and Israel, and relationships of the kind Aipac members are expected to forge with members of Congress and other elected officials.
And good relationships, everyone knows, begin with a handshake. But this could turn out to be somewhat of a problem with the Swine Flu scare, which is making people think twice before extending their hand for a friendly hello. Organizers at the Aipac conference had thought even of that, and provided delegates who were interested in it with miniature bottles of Purell.
And with the antibacterial wash in hand, they can move forward with making those relationship matters.
Another relationship that matters was that of the pro-Israel lobby with Rep. Jane Harman, the California Democrat who got into trouble after transcripts of her phone conversation regarding the prosecution against two former Aipac staffers were leaked to the press.
Harman sat on the opening panel at the conference and, for a while, stuck to the issue of Middle East foreign policy. But at the final round of questions, Harman turned to the crowd and addressed what she called “my alleged situation.” She vowed to keep fighting to clear her name, and promised to keep up her good ties with pro-Israeli activists.
“The issue is obviously creating a chilling effect on hardworking bipartisan members of Congress who care intensely about the U.S.–Israel security relationship and have every right to talk to advocacy groups and our good friends about that relationship,” Harman said.
One relationship that never came up during the first day of the Aipac conference was the relationship of the lobby itself with its two former staff members, Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman; on Friday, Rosen and Weissman were all but exonerated from espionage charges.
Somehow, no one felt the need to mention the case.
May 1, 2009, 6:16pm
Rosen and Weissman's Next Act?
By Nathan Guttman
With their phones ringing off the hook Friday, former Aipac lobbyists (and, we can now add, former defendants) Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman are trying to figure out what next.
Their lawyers celebrated the decision to dismiss the case with a media conference call and a joint statement in which they called for a further public review into why the investigation against the two pro-Israel lobbyists started in the first place.
But before that happens, there is still one issue to settle: money.
Aipac has already paid (after putting up a fight) millions of dollars in legal fees to the attorneys representing Rosen and Weissman. Now the former employees are seeking compensation for their more than four years of unemployment and loss of income since they were fired from the lobby in 2005.
Steve Rosen has filed a civil lawsuit against Aipac, but he expects, as do most observers who are following the case, that the lobby will settle with him before the lawsuit is heard in court.
The only person who had no reason to celebrate Friday was Larry Franklin, the former Pentagon analyst who was charged with providing Rosen and Weissman the information. Franklin had reached a plea agreement with the prosecution early on in the case and had expected his 12.5-year sentence to be reduced significantly after he testifies against Rosen and Weissman. Now, with no testimony needed, he is left at the mercy of the prosecution and the court, when it comes to reducing his prison term. Franklin has not yet begun to serve his sentence.
April 29, 2009, 11:48pm
Harman Wiretap Stars Pepper Independence Day Reception
By Nathan Guttman
Some of the stars of the Harman wiretap affair showed up Wednesday for the Israeli embassy’s reception marking Israel’s Independence Day.
On the stage, delivering a warm farewell to outgoing ambassador Salai Meridor was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who according to reports was supposed to lobbied in favor of appointing Jane Harman to chair the intelligence committee.
Not far, in the crowd stood Steve Rosen, the former Aipac staffer whose case was allegedly being discussed in the wiretapped phone conversation between Harman and the suspected Israeli agent. Also in attendance was Washington attorney Baruch Weiss who represents Rosen’s co-defendant Keith Weissman.
Harman herself was not among those celebrating Israel’s 61 years of independence. She is expected to show up Sunday, for the opening panel at Aipac’s annual policy conference.
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