Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Hackwatch: Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.)
Rep. Harman, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee, has long been an aggressive defender of the NSA’s warrantless wiretapping program, calling federal whistleblowers who revealed the program’s abuses “despicable,” and at one point even suggesting criminal prosecution of the New York Times for revealing how the program may have been in violation of U.S. law.

Earlier this week, the New York Times reported that Harman “was overheard on telephone calls intercepted by the National Security Agency agreeing to seek lenient treatment from the Bush administration for two pro-Israel lobbyists who were under investigation for espionage.” In return, “the caller promised her that a wealthy California donor…would threaten to withhold campaign contributions to Representative Nancy Pelosi…if she did not select Ms. Harman for the intelligence post.”

Suddenly, Harman isn’t so fond of NSA’s wiretapping program, or the idea of federal eavesdropping in general, even though the tap on her own phone was legal, and administered after federal officials actually bothered to secure a warrant. Yesterday on CNN, Harman unleashed a torrent of (self) righteous indignation:

I’m just very disappointed that my country — I’m an American citizen just like you are — could have permitted what I think is a gross abuse of power in recent years. I’m one member of Congress who may be caught up in it, and I have a bully pulpit and I can fight back. I’m thinking about others who have no bully pulpit, who may not be aware, as I was not, that someone is listening in on their conversations, and they’re innocent Americans.

I don’t really see any ameliorating factors, here. Harman gets the first perfect score—a 10 out of 10—on the somewhat arbitrary Hackery Index.

If you see an example of a pundit, politician, major blogger, or other Beltway creature who’s done a 180 on this or another issue, please send it here, with links, and “HackWatch” in the subject line. Prior installments of HackWatch here.


http://www.theagitator.com/2009/04/22/hackwatch-rep-jane-harman-d-calif/

Read this report this morning.

Hmmmmmmmmm.... If they get upset when they find "they" have been wiretapped, makes you wonder what they would say to having to rely on SSI for a retirement package rather than the one they voted for themselves?

My opinion, time to put the shoe on the other foot, then perhaps we would see some real change!

Interesting

For those politicians in DC who are starting to oppose policy, I wonder if there will be a rise in suicides?

Why is Israel spying on us?I thought they were our ally

There have been some Israelis detained over "spying", just doesn't make the MSM much.

I keep hearing about that happening but I don't understand why

AIPAC.

Plus, it would tarnish the image of Israel as our unwavering ally, would it not?
Would the American people be nearly so inclined to defend, fund and arm Israel at all costs, if they were fully aware of the Mossad spying on this Country at many levels?

That's what I am thinking too