Dept. of Justice probe is latest blow for Jane Harman

A new Department of Justice investigation of Jane Harman and her connection to the leaking of classified documents to agents of a foreign government was revealed by Time Magazine on Friday. The documents allegedly were received by staff at AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Two former AIPAC employees, Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, have been indicted for violating the Espionage Act.

At a candidates debate on Sunday, Harman was in a state of denial when questioned about the investigation by James Smith, the Peace and Freedom Party candidate for her seat. Harman also denied that her company, Harman International, runs a sweatshop in Tijuana where workers make $1 per hour and child labor is employed. Smith said the border plant is documented in a video on YouTube.com.

Even while denying the DOJ investigation, Harman has retained George W. Bush's attorney, Ted Olsen, to represent her. Olsen became famous by representing Bush in Florida in 2000, and was ultimately successful in shifting the legal process to the Supreme Court which put Bush, not Al Gore, in the White House.

Harman may be forced to resign if the Justice Dept. investigation concludes that Harman was involved in either leaking documents or trading them for AIPAC intervention with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to help save Harman's seat on the Intelligence Committee.

At Sunday's debate, Smith told the audience that if Harman becomes unelectable or is forced to resign, that he was the only other candidate who would work with a Democratic majority in Congress. The other candidates are a Republican and a Libertarian. He said that the independent Vermont Socialist, Bernie Sanders, worked with Democrats and pushed them on progressive legislation. "I would perform the same role in Congress," said Smith. Harman was fighting back tears as the debate ended.

Relevant websites:

Time Magazine: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1549069,00.html

Links to Debate footage and Sweatshop in Mexico: http:http://www.lalabor.org/Harman.html

Candidate websites:

http://www.VoteSmithforCongress.org
http://www.AbramsforAssembly.org