@@ How AIPAC controls America @@
Arash
September 5, 2004
Rep. Davis helped by group tied to spy case
By Eric Fleischauer
er...@decaturdaily.com
Members of a lobbying group accused of channeling classified information
from an alleged spy in the Pentagon to the Israeli government were
instrumental in putting an Alabama congressman in office.
A probe by the FBI targeted Larry Franklin, a senior analyst in a Pentagon
office dealing with Middle East af-fairs. Officials ac-cused him of
providing classified information about Iran's nuclear program to two
officials employed by the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
AIPAC and the Israeli government denied the allegations. No charges have
been filed.
Whether or not Israel benefited from Franklin's alleged espionage and
backdoor lobbying, its American supporters have actively courted U.S.
congressmen for years.
The major beneficiary of pro-Israel campaign contributions in this state has
been U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham.
According to an estimate by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics,
Davis received $206,595 in pro-Israel contributions in advance of the 2002
election. This despite the fact he was not an incumbent, and despite the
fact his five-term incumbent opponent, Earl Hilliard, was also a Democrat.
Even under the conservative CRP estimate, Davis' 2002 pro-Israel receipts
were more than double his total contributions from his previous try at
Hilliard's seat, in 2000.
Seventy-six percent of Davis' contributions during the 2002 election cycle
came from outside Alabama, most from New York City.
"I received a lot of money from the Jewish community. I agree with that,"
Davis said.
The contributions to Davis were higher than pro-Israel contributions to any
other candidate for the House in 2002, according to the CRP.
Steve Weiss, head of the CRP, said the organization's methodology in
calculating pro-Israel contributions tends to underreport them. This is the
case because it must largely ignore individual contributions.
Davis' filings with the Federal Elections Commission suggest the pro-Israel
contributions are much higher than CRP estimated.
As of March 31, 2002, according to the FEC, Davis had reported $92,100 in
political contributions. At that point, Davis' receipts were about
one-fourth of Hilliard's receipts.
In mid-April of 2002, Davis attended a series of fundraisers, coordinated by
AIPAC members, in New York City and Washington D.C.
Davis' receipts skyrocketed. By May 15, 2002, Davis was up to $446,821. Of
the 517 individual contributions to Davis in the weeks surrounding the
fundraisers, only four came from Alabamians.
After beating Hilliard in the primary, Davis' only opposition in the general
election was a little-known Libertarian. Davis, nonetheless, had collected
receipts totaling $1.6 million by the end of the 2002 election cycle.
Hilliard, from Birmingham, knocked heads with the pro-Israel lobby in 2001
when he and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus took pro-Arab
positions on several issues.
He said Tuesday he believes pro-Israel money won Davis the 2002 election.
The congressman-turned-lobbyist said his main concern is that pro-Israel
money tends to crowd out the voice of Arab countries, a result he said could
eventually lead to more wars in the Middle East.
"We are being embroiled in a 3000-year-old conflict," Hilliard said.
"Israel's influence is tremendous."
Davis actively courted AIPAC and the pro-Israel vote before the 2002
election. He spoke at five fund-raisers sponsored by AIPAC members in New
York City. This year, he had one fund-raiser sponsored by an AIPAC member in
New York City and another one sponsored by a Birmingham AIPAC member.
Two weeks after the 2002 election, an AIPAC publication explained why he
received strong Jewish support.
"Davis has met with AIPAC activists and staff and has close ties to members
of the local and national pro-Israel community," the publication said.
A pro-Israel PAC, To Protect Our Heritage, said in a newsletter that it
contributed money to Davis' 2002 campaign because "Hilliard has one of the
most dismal records in Congress in Israel-related issues."
The issue is to some extent the chicken-or-egg dilemma.
Did Davis become pro-Israel to get Jewish contributions, or did the Jewish
community support him because he was pro-Israel?
"The rule of thumb with political contributions," said Davis, "is you take
positions, then organizations decide whether to back you based on those
positions. Not the other way around."
Hilliard claims that Davis developed a pro-Israel position to attract
desperately needed campaign contributions.
Davis disagrees with Hilliard, but he acknowledges the political reality he
faced in the 2002 election.
"In 2002, we were unable to raise large sums of money because Earl Hilliard
was an incumbent," Davis said. "That required us to develop a national
fund-raising strategy or forgo our ability to win the race. So we developed
a national fund-raising strategy."
Davis said whatever AIPAC's involvement in alleged espionage, he had no
relationship with the committee.
"I have never accepted money from AIPAC," Davis explained. "My relationship
has been with donors who are members of AIPAC."
Despite its name, AIPAC is not a political action committee. It cannot
legally contribute to candidates, but it can - and does - recommend that its
members make contributions.
The Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Appropriations bill, approved by the Senate,
included more than $300 million for joint U.S.-Israel weapons programs. It
also included $2.22 billion in military aid to Israel. In 2004, Israel
received $2.16 billion in military aid.
Hilliard said these numbers indicate the power of AIPAC.
"Everyone (in Congress) is scared of it," Hilliard said. "They are afraid
the same thing that happened to me will happen to them."
Davis said the allegations against Franklin may suggest illegal activity,
but not anti-American activity.
"At its height, the allegation would simply be that the information was used
to make the Israeli government aware of Iran's nuclear program," Davis said.
"There is no suggestion that this intelligence was designed to harm American
interests or to compromise American safety."
One of Decatur's congressmen, U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, said the
allegations against AIPAC disturbed him, but "regarding campaign
contributions, I have followed the Federal Election Commission's
guidelines."
Cramer received $50,400 in pro-Israel contributions since 1996.
Decatur's other congressman, U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, has
received $36,500 from pro-Israel groups and individuals since 1996.
Aderholt said he accepts pro-Israel contributions and supports Israel
legislatively, in part, because it is the only democracy in the Middle East.
"When I go into churches in the 4th District," Aderholt said, "there are
only two countries I pray for: Israel and the United States."
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