Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast

In talk.politics.mideast, adam@sparkle.uucp (Adam Shostack) writes:

> After consipracy theorists, including Paul "They dare to speak out"
> Findley forced the FEC to investigate AIPAC, the FEC found
> insufficient evidence of wrongdoing to warrant a lawsuit.  

How do you know that the FEC found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing to 
warrant a lawsuit? There's a gag order in effect.

> The fact that a counsel "thinks" AIPAC had "probably violated the law" is
                ^
> irrelevant.

It wasn't just any counsel that found that AIPAC had probably violated the law,
it was the *FEC's general counsel*. If the FEC won't prosecute lawbreakers, 
why are they worthy of our tax dollars?

> The purpose of this lawsuit is to spend millions of taxpayer dollars
> pursuing the paranoid fantasies of a group of former government
> employees.

I don't think so. The New York Times described this complaint as 
"The Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) should have registered as a political 
action committee... the group has made targets of political candidates,
either backing them or opposing them in accordance with their
positions toward Israel, through such means as a "black book"
containing vital information on every Senate and House race."(2)
The Washington news said AIPAC "was  accused ... of violating
election law by making and coordinating ... contributions to
pro-Israel candidates"(4).

Title II of the U.S. Code, Section 441a, (a)2, legislated by the
Federal Election Campaign Act, says(3)

"No multicandidate political committee shall make contributions to any
candidate and his authorized political committees with respect to any
election for Federal office which, in the aggregate, exceed $5,000(1);"

Title II of the U.S. Code, Section 441a, (a)5 says

"For purposes of the limitations provided by paragraph (1) and
paragraph (2), all contributions made by political committees
established or financed or maintained or controlled by any
corporation, labor organization, or any other person, including
any parent, subsidiary, branch, division, department, or
local unit of such corporation, labor organization, or any other
person, or by any group of such persons, shall be considered to
have been made by a single political committee...."

Title II of the U.S. Code, Section 431
Subchapter 1 (4)(A) Defines a "political committee" as: any committee,
club, association, or other group of persons which receives
contributions aggregating in excess of $1000 during a calendar year
or which makes expenditures aggregating in excess of $1000 during a
calendar year;"

A "smoking gun" memo by Elizabeth Schrayer, then AIPAC's deputy
political director, urged several pro-Israel PACs to channel cash
contributions to a group of favored senatorial candidates.(5)
Another document, written by Brenda Pearson, suggested financial help
for Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Richard Licht.(6)

> What this lawsuit does is give
> conspiracy theorists further grounds to claim that Israel is the
> eternal boogieman, by claiming that "the issue is still in court."

The problem is that the U.S. FEC won't act. The case against AIPAC has been 
open for years, without result. There is evidence that AIPAC is breaking 
the law, and Findley et all want to stop the white-wash.

> The FEC spent 4 years examining this case, and did not find enough
> evidence to go into court.

Where'd you read that?

Pardon me Adam, I don't agree with your post. I hope I haven't offended you. 



                                References

1.) FEC document MUR 2804, (800) 424-9530, Public Records department

2.) Israel Lobbying Group Found to Comply with Law, New York Times, 12/22/90

3.) "Federal Election Campaign Laws", October 1990, The Federal Election
Commission, Washington D.C.

4.) Washington news, January 12, 1989, Jim Anderson

5.) Papers Link Pro-Israel Lobby To Political Funding Efforts, The
Washington Post, November 14, 1988, Charles R. Babcock, A SECTION, p. a01

6.) Pro-Israel Unit Disavows Political Links; Memo Urged Focus On Jackson's
Sex Life, The Washington Post, October 07, 1988, Charles R. Babcock, A SECTION,
p. a11
Newsgroups: talk.politics.mideast,alt.conspiracy