Friday, November 17, 2006
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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Leak case judge denies motion
The judge in the classified information case against two former AIPAC lobbyists denied a government attempt to make leaking information to a foreign nation a crime.
The prosecution requested a “clarification” of an earlier decision by Judge T.S. Ellis in the case against Steve Rosen, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s former policy chief, and Keith Weissman, a former Iran analyst. That decision upheld as constitutional a 1917 statute criminalizing the receipt of classified information, but rejected as unconstitutional the statute’s implication that prosecutors need only prove that the leaking benefited a foreign nation, and not that it harmed U.S. interests.
Prosecutors asked for an exemption from having to prove that the leaking harmed U.S. interests. In denying their motion Thursday, Ellis exhibited exasperation, because his earlier decision, rejecting a defense motion to dismiss the case, had favored the prosecutors overall. Denying the government’s request, he said, “That’s not ‘clarification,’ that’s ‘reconsideration.’ ”
Ellis also hoped to set a trial date at Thursday’s hearing, but was stymied by the complexity of the process of clearing classified information for use as evidence.
‘Blue Dogs’ endorse Harman
The influential “blue dog” faction of conservative Democrats endorsed Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) to chair the U.S. House of Representatives’ intelligence committee.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who is set to become speaker now that Democrats have won the House, opposes Harman, who is Jewish, partly because she’s incensed that Harman solicited lobbying for the post from top Jewish donors to the Democrats. Harman has been the top-ranked Democrat on the committee for four years.
The Blue Dog Coalition endorsed Harman on Thursday, the same day the faction helped Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) trounce Pelosi’s favored candidate, Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa.), in the race for majority leader. In their letter, the “blue dogs” alluded to Harman’s good relations with the intelligence and defense establishments.
“Both our caucus and party have counted on Congresswoman Harman to answer forcefully and credibly to partisan critics who have questioned Democrats’ commitment to protecting our nation,” said the letter obtained by the Talking Points Memo Web site.
The Congressional Black Caucus, meanwhile, is lobbying for Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.).
GOP House leaders remain the same
Congressional Republicans reaffirmed their leadership in the wake of elections that cost them control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the outgoing majority leader, will be the minority leader in the new Congress, and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will remain party whip. The two leaders handily rebuffed challenges from conservative opponents in Friday’s caucus elections. Both men have strong Jewish community ties and Blunt, who is married to a Jewish woman, has led numerous congressional delegations to Israel.
http://www.jta.org/
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