On January 29, 2012 at 8:57am

ataxiwardance:

Congresswoman Overheard Peddling Influence in Exchange for Appointment Favors

[ This is an old story from 2009 but, frankly, too irresistible to pass up in light of further advances of the American Security State in last year three years. ]

In 2005 the NSA recorded (via wiretap) Congresswoman Harmen trading a sentence reduction for espionage charges against members of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) for lobbying favors to become chair of the House Intelligence Committee. 

The Congresswoman, Democrat Jane Harman, is outraged at the “abuse of power” in her conversations being intercepted though the action was court approved. Ironically Rep. Harman was a staunch advocate of the USA PATRIOT ACT, the very legislation which permitted such wiretapping, but seems to find its protention application to herself unsavory. The FBI pursued a further corruption charge against the Congresswoman but Attourney General Alberto Gonzales “pulled the plug” because he needed the Congresswoman’s public support for such wiretapping programs.

The lolz are thick and juicy here. Some choice quotes from the Congresswoman:

“I never had any idea that my government was wiretapping me at all!”

“I think this is an abuse of power Wolf!”

“I want to make sure members of Congress are not routinely wiretapped without their knowledge.”

Excellent Daily Show segment on the topic here.

Or Colbert, but either way this is beyond pathetic.

A prescient quote from Franklin comes to mind often theses days:

“I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no Form of Government but what may be a Blessing to the People if well-administred; and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administred for a Course of Years and can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.” 
― Benjamin Franklin

(emphasis mine)

between this and what’s happening in Oakland and of course the terrifying farce that is the Republican party I am convinced our days are numbered.

The question is, exactly HOW we will implode?

4 notes (Show)permalink