Israeli Citizens in OUR Congress?
L. Michael Hager poses an important question in his Counterpunch article “Dual Citizens in Congress? Why It’s Important for Us to Know”. He received an indignant response when he asked a staffer at Massachusetts Senator John “Ed” Markey’s office to ask for help in identifying Members of Congress who hold dual citizenship with other countries. Taking the lead from Mike, I called my own (Jewish) Senator Carl Levin’s office in Detroit, identified myself by full name, and asked the staffer named George if Carl was a citizen of the state of Israel.
George (very firmly): “Senator Levin is a citizen of the United States.”
Me: “Yes I assumed that. My question was whether he was also a citizen of the state of Israel”
George (much louder): “Senator Levin is a citizen of the United States!”
Me: “I’ve identified myself with my full name. What’s yours?
George: “I’m the only George in the office”
Me: “And Carl Levin is not a citizen of Israel?”
George (really loud): “Senator Levin is a citizen of the United States!!”
Me: “And he’s not a citizen of Israel?”
George (right up there in volume): “No. He’s not. Senator Levin is a citizen of the United States!!!”
Me: “OK, thanks. That’s what I wanted to know”
Anybody convinced? This writer surely isn’t, and plans to exchange views, information and strategies with Mr. Hager later this month. Oh, it also comes from a reputable source that the online publication truthout.org refused to run Mike’s piece although they have run other articles by him. Interesting …
Armed only with Mike’s article and a burning interest in the loyalties of government officials, Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends showcased our new sign this Saturday.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hersko/Photos/Israeli%20citizens%20in%20congress%20-%20lg.jpg
Belated Report on Alison Weir Talk in Toledo
Seven JWPF members and supporters traveled to Toledo, Ohio on December 9 to hear an informative presentation by Alison Weir, President of the Council for the National Interest and Executive Director of If Americans Knew.org. Identifying the crimes of Israel as “one of the major ethnic cleansings of modern times”, she recounted many chapters of her book, Against our Better Judgment; How the US was used to create Israel. Some topics were: (a) the Bergson Boys – a clandestine group fronting for Zionists post WWI, (b) the Parushim – a secret organization boasting members such as then-current Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, and (c) the destruction of reputation of renowned reporter Dorothy Thompson by frustrated Zionists. And Alison did not flinch from loaded questions (e.g. “you don’t have a degree in history, do you?”) put to her by a member of what she referred to as “the usual ethnicity”. A similar talk to her Toledo presentation, given in Seattle, can be viewed here. Good job (as usual), Alison!
Comments?
Four vigilers
Henry Herskovitz
Jewish Witnesses for Peace and Friends
Eight Million Dollars a DAY!!??
January 3rd, 2015 - 3:46 pm
I also became interested in the subject of Israeli citizens serving in our government when Stanley Fischer, now Vice Chairman of the Fed and former head of the Bank of Israel was nominated for his position. I had seen a list of members of Congress that were claimed to be citizens of Israel.
Like you, I called to find out about my rep, Jan Schakowsky, who was on the list. Though this isn’t something that should require research by the staff, I was told I would get a call back. No call came and after several weeks I called again (the DC office). Again I was put off and said I would wait on the line while the answer was found. I was put on hold then told that the person who would know was not in the office but I would get a response. More weeks passed, no response.
Then I called Jan’s office in my town. This time the person who answered said Jan is definitely not a citizen of Israel. When I asked why this info was so hard to obtain, she said she didn’t know, since it was not something that Jan would want hidden.
You are absolutely right to get on this subject – I can’t conceive of the founding fathers approving of dual citizenship members of government and the only reason they didn’t address it is it wasn’t possible at that time and nobody could believe it ever would be.
It might be very interesting to compare figures – how many members of Congress have dual citizenship with any other country than Israel?