http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerBlog.jhtml?itemNo=676155&con... Posted: January 30, 2006
The AIPAC case: Is $1.6 million enough?
Monday, January 30, 16:25 EST
In the story I filed earlier,
dealing with the case against two
former AIPAC lobbyists Steve Rosen
and Keith Weissman,
a source familiar with the AIPAC
side of the story revealed that
the two rejected an AIPAC offer
of more than $1.6 million.
The source assumed that
"Rosen and Weissman are simply
not interested in the money now -
because it is their intention to
sue after the trial.
A few months ago,
and after consultations
with the defendants' lawyers,
the two were offered a large sum -
$1.625 million,
in addition to the money that the
organization had already spent on
their defense last year.
They rejected the offer."
Now, is this a lot of
money to reject or what?
As always,
it depends on the person
who answers the question.
Some sources close to the defense made
a couple of interesting points this
morning regarding AIPAC's offer.
1.
AIPAC insisted that after
it pays Rosen and Weissman,
it will be absolved of any
responsibility for the
funding of an appeal,
in the event the two are convicted.
(As mentioned in my previous report,
an appeal is imminent in such case).
The AIPAC bylaws,
the source reminded me,
refer to
"final judicial determination."
2.
AIPAC's offer might sound like
a lot to people who are not
familiar with the costs of
legal defense today.
But it was, in fact,
only about a third of the
eal cost just at the trial
level.
The defense for Rosen and Weissman
estimates total legal costs of $4
million.
AIPAC's offer does not even cover
the arrearages already accumulated
($1.2 million for Rosen and about
$800,000 for Weissman).
3.
AIPAC's offer provides nothing
for costs beyond fees paid to
law firms.
For example:
experts on classified information,
jury consultants, etc. These,
the source said,
"are vital in a modern defense."
4.
AIPAC fired the defendants after
they had worked for the organization
for many years.
(Rosen worked for AIPAC for a
quarter century during which
"he received only the highest
praise year after year."
He is 63 with three children,
the youngest of which is seven).
They took from Rosen
and Weissman salaries,
health insurance,
and pensions - everything they had.
The two can't even think about
finding a new job as long as
the trial goes on.
5.
AIPAC's offer should also be
seen in light of its own revenues
which have tripled in the past
five years.
The real cost of the defense will
be about three percent of its
revenues since August 2004,
(when the defendants troubles began),
"and that is what AIPAC should and can pay,"
the source suggested.
6. Since August 2004,
AIPAC will have raised
(by this summer) over $120 million
in hard and soft donations excluding
the capital fund for its new building
and its endowment fund.
"Permit me also to point out,"
said the source,
"that AIPAC's special appeal
for this case in September 2004
raised $4 million over the expected
donation level,
according to its own chief fundraiser,
not to mention extra donations that
came in at later dates."
AIPAC's offer, the source states,
"means it would make a profit on this case."
To be continued...
