2012 elections and beyond

Chris Christie’s Troubling Appointment
Jonathan S. Tobin - 01.18.2011 - 2:06 PM

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has earned legions of fans with his take-no-prisoners style over the last year as he defied the unions and other entrenched interests in his drive to return his state to fiscal sanity. But while Christie has sought to silence the buzz about a possible presidential run, it appears that there might be a better reason to abandon this fantasy than his understandable reluctance: the governor has some explaining to do about his cozying up to an Islamist group in the state both before and after his election.

Christie’s decision to appoint attorney Sohail Mohammed to a state Superior Court judgeship has raised questions not only about his nominee’s record but also about the governor’s own stand. Mohammed is mainly known for the fact that he was the defense attorney for Muslims who were arrested in the wake of 9/11 because of their ties to terror organizations. In one case, Mohammed fought the government’s effort to deport Mohammed Qatanani, the imam of the Islamic Center of Passaic County and an influential member of the extremist — though well-connected — American Muslim Union. Though the New York Times praised him in 2008 during his deportation trial as a “revered imam” and portrayed the case as an overreaction to 9/11, Qatanani, a Palestinian, is a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood and admitted to being a member of Hamas when he was arrested by Israeli authorities in 1993 before coming to the United States. Though he claimed to be an advocate of interfaith dialogue (and was accepted as such by some liberal Jews), Qatanani was no moderate on the Middle East. His ties to Hamas were well known, and just the year before his deportation trial, Qatanani endorsed Israel’s absorption into an Islamic “Greater Syria.” Qatanani clearly lied about his record as an Islamist on documents that he used to enter the country. But he was nevertheless able to evade justice in the immigration courts because the judge accepted his undocumented claim that the Israelis tortured him

Kerry must be defeated in 2014
1/29/wikileaked_john_kerry_calls_for_israel_to_cede_golan_heights_and_east_jerusalem



He has been characterized as Syria’s best friend in the Senate. He chairs the senate Foreign Relations Committee. Shocked by what he saw in Gaza (The luxury mall? The brutalization of Christians? The teaching of anti-Semitism? The indoctrination of children? I don’t think that is what he meant).



The hits keep coming, courtesy of Wikileaks:



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WikiLeaked: John Kerry calls for Israel to cede Golan Heights and East Jerusalem
Posted By Josh Rogin http://www.foreignpolicy.com/images/091022_meta_block.gifMonday, November 29, 2010 - 12:44 PM http://www.foreignpolicy.com/images/091022_meta_block.gifhttp://www.foreignpolicy.com/images/091022_more_icon.gifShare



On a February trip to the Middle East, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry (D-MA) told Qatari leaders that the Golan Heights should be returned to Syria, that a Palestinian capital should be established in East Jerusalem as part of the Arab-Israeli peace process, and that he was "shocked" by what he saw on a visit to Gaza.

Kerry discussed the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in a visit to Qatar during separate meetings with Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani and the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa, as revealed by the disclosure of diplomatic cables by the website WikiLeaks.

The emir told Kerry to focus on Syria as the path toward resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Kerry agreed with the emir that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a man who wants change but pointed out that his arming of Hezbollah and interference in Lebanese politics were unhelpful. Kerry said that Assad "needs to make a bolder move and take risks" for peace, and that he should be "more statesman-like." Kerry also agreed with the emir that the Golan Heights should be given back to Syria at some point.

"The Chairman added that Netanyahu also needs to compromise and work the return of the Golan Heights into a formula for peace," the diplomatic cable reported.

As for the peace process, Kerry defended the Obama administration's drive to use indirect proximity talks (which were only being discussed at that time) as a stepping stone to direct talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians. He said the two sides should first agree on the amount of land to be swapped and then work on borders, followed by settlements.

Kerry also said that final agreement would have to include a Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem.

"Any negotiation has its limits, added Senator Kerry, and we know for the Palestinians that control of Al-Aqsa mosque and the establishment of some kind of capital for the Palestinians in East Jerusalem are not negotiable," the cable stated, summarizing the meeting with the emir. "For the Israelis, the Senator continued, Israel's character as a Jewish state is not open for negotiation. The non-militarization of an eventual Palestinian state and its borders can nonetheless be resolved through negotiation."

In a separate meeting the day before with the prime minister, Kerry resisted the Qatari leader's assertion that Hamas was ready to accept the existence of the State of Israel, but he agreed that urgent action was needed to rebuild Gaza.

According to the leaked diplomatic cable, the prime minister told Kerry, "We need to broker a quick reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah and move forward quickly on rebuilding Gaza… Senator Kerry asserted that HBJ [Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani] was preaching to the converted and told the PM he was ‘shocked by what I saw in Gaza.'"

Just because they are jewish does not mean pro Israel
J Street Fundraiser For Ackerman

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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Adam Dickter

Assistant Managing Editor

J Street founder and executive director Jeremy Ben-Ami will be in New York tonight to host a fundraiser for three Democrat House members, including Queens/Long Island Rep. Gary Ackerman.

Here's a copy of a letter accompanying the invite, forwarded to us by someone who is not a fan of Ackerman or J Street.

I am writing today to invite you to an event for J Street, an organization I feel very strongly about. J Street is having an increasing impact on today's political discourse about the Middle East and the involvement of congressional members and their support for J Street policies and policies are vital to the organization's work.

On Wednesday evening, October 13, 2010 at 6:30pm, I am hosting a J Street PAC event benefiting Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY5), Dan Maffei (D-NY25) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME1) who each support J Street. They are excellent advocates for pro-Israel, pro-peace positions in Congress and courageous leaders on other progressive issues as well, such as health care and climate change. Jeremy Ben-Ami , the Executive Director of JStreet, will be there to introduce the Congress Members and give an overview of J Street's work and the current state of the peace process in the Middle East.With direct talks between the Israelis and Palestinians having begun, but yet again stalled this week over the settlement issue and the mid-term elections coming up in the U.S, this will be a great opportunity to hear from Jeremy about the intersection between U.S politics and the Middle East. Please consider attending, learning about the organization, and supporting its endorsed candidates.





BTW, Ackerman has words last year for Israel :


Ackerman slams settlements, Israeli attitudes

February 12, 2009

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Settler "pogroms," settlement building and Israeli intransigence are joined with Palestinian terrorism in a "downward spiral," a top U.S. Jewish congressman said.

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House of Representatives Middle East subcommittee, made clear in a subcommittee hearing Thursday that he was not trying to draw a moral equivalence between Israeli hard-liners and Palestinian terrorists, "but they are all part of the same destructive dynamic."

In his opening statement, Ackerman described "downward pressure" that "comes from terrorism and the march of settlements. It comes from the firing of rockets and the perpetration of settler pogroms. It comes in daily images of destruction and the constant reiteration that 'they only understand the language of force.' "

The "settler pogroms" apparently are a reference to attacks by Hebron settlers on Arabs in December after Israel evacuated settlers from a building.

Ackerman went on to say, "It comes from tunnels in Gaza and, yes, from digging in Jerusalem as well."

Hamas uses tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip-Egypt border to smuggle in rockets it has fired on Israel. Palestinians have complained that a number of building projects in Jerusalem encroach on Arab neighborhoods

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/02/12/1002975/ackerman-slams-settlements-israeli-attitudes .







ALSO:



Barney Frank also had some words for Israel a few months ago:

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank had harsh words yesterday for the Israeli Navy after a bloody raid on a pro-Palestinian flotilla outside of Gaza, describing nine activists killed in the conflict as “innocent” and calling for an independent inquiry into the showdown.

Frank, in a wide-ranging interview with the Herald, went on to say that “as a Jew,” Israeli treatment of Arabs around some of the West Bank settlements “makes me ashamed that there would be Jews that would engage in that kind of victimization of a minority.”

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20100602barney_frank_calls_for_probe_of_gaza_raid/srvc=home&position=also :




Indianapolis
a race in Indianapolis IN-7 whereby a fabulous principled Republican Black man, Dr. Marvin Scott, is running against the incumbent Nation of Islam member Andre Carson. Carson slid in the seat 2 years ago in a special election when his grandmother, a popular congresswoman in the district passed away. Now he is running again and it's vital we support Dr. Scott in this election. Andre Carson refuses to participate in a debate. This race is winnable and close but it is an uphill battle. It has received no national attention - the media refuses to touch it because Carson's campaign has painted Dr. Scott as anti-Muslim. Congressman Mike Pence has endorsed him along with RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Dr. Scott has been a professor ar Butler University for 18 years. He ran against Evan Bayh for Senate in 2004 and garnered 37% of the vote. I am working closely with his campaign team and I'm organizing a fundraiser for him in Munster. Might you be interested in having an event for him through the RJC or on the north side? http://drmarvinscottforcongress.com/
This is our kind of candidate, outspokenly Pro-Israel and very strong on fighting terrorism! Please spread the word about him!
Dr. Scott's campaign has hired Lisa Bensen, a Jewish media wizard who has raised millions. She would like us to find a large Jewish venue for Pam Geller to speak. Pam just wrote a book with Robert Spencer,The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration's War on America . She is a terrorism expert and passionate leader. Pam is leading the charge currently against the mosque at ground zero. She is an unbelievablele activist. http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/ I'm not a jealous person but I wish I could do what Pam does...The Scott Race is really important to our cause so please donate to his campaign and let's brainstorm what we can really do for him on the north side.




Meanwhile, in the California Senate race, Israel may become an issue as well. Barbara Boxer has enjoyed strong Jewish support in the past, but she has been utterly silent when it comes to Obama’s serial-bashing of Israel. This is not going unnoticed by the Carly Fiorina campaign. Fiorina press secretary Andrea Saul tells me: “Carly Fiorina is a strong supporter of Israel and recognizes the importance of our countries’ partnership. While she has been disappointed by President Obama and his administration’s approach to Israel since he took office, she hopes that efforts such as this group’s will help ensure our elected officials will stand on the side of our longstanding Democratic ally and continue to strengthen our ties with the country, not the opposite.”

So what say you, Barbara Boxer? A debate in California on this subject would also be enlightening, given the fact that Boxer has been more critical of the general who called her “Ma’am” than of the Obami assault on Israel.
Calif Senate race



Pennsylvania Senate race
Jennifer Rubin

Although Sestak spoke at a CAIR fundraiser, signed the Gaza 54 letter, and is J Street endorsed (precisely because he’s shown to have more in common with Rep. Ron Paul than Sen. Joe Lieberman when it comes to the Jewish state), his campaign says it is “silly” to question his pro-Israel bona fides. The campaign spokeswoman for Pat Toomey’s campaign, Nachama Soloveichik, responded to our request for comment:

Joe Sestak has consistently aligned himself with the Congressional faction that is most hostile to Israel. Everyone in that faction of politicians also calls themselves “pro-Israel.” Talk is cheap.



J Street targets Pollak; Dershowitz video highlights

J Street attacks!

The extreme left lobby group J Street--which blames Israel first, and supports President Obama’s dangerous Middle East policy--has made Joel its #1 target in this year’s election, and is raising money for his opponent. Help Joel fight back today with your contribution--before the June 30 reporting deadline!

Dershowitz highlights

We have just released the highlight video from our recent luncheon with Professor Alan Dershowitz. Republicans and Democrats came together to support Joel Pollak as he accepted Prof. Dershowitz’s endorsement.


Last month, Joel’s opponent, Jan Schakowsky, held her own fundraiser--with Helen Thomas, the far-left journalist who told Jews to “get the hell out of Palestine” and go back to Germany. Schakowsky knew of Thomas’s radical anti-Israel views--and held a fundraiser with her anyway:



Send a message to Jan Schakowsky: we will not tolerate bigotry!

Help Joel by donating $50, $100 or $500 today!

Jan Schakosky, J Street's biggest Congress booster, Ill 9 has Helen Thgomas guest star at her Chicago lunch. Her opponent Repub Joel Pollack has Dem Prof Alan dewrshowitz endorse him. Can you tell whose who by weho they pick? Yep.


Richard Baehr
Joe Sestak can not make that claim. He is the House member who spoke to CAIR events, criticized Israel over its actions in Gaza, and loyally signed on to the J-Street agenda. The contrast with Pat Toomey, his Republican opponent on Israel policy , could not be sharper. Will Jews in Pennsylvania care?
Sestak and Israel: http://tinyurl.com/38jse9n


Richard bAEHR
RAND Paul's most recent statement on Israel, however, is not bad, better in fact than what you might get from some lefty Democrats (say , like Joe Sestak. More on that later.)
Rand Paul is certainly not Mark Kirk on Israel. But neither, it seems, is he like his father Ron Paul on the subject. : http://tinyurl.com/2acqtqn


Illinois Dems and anti-Israel-richard baehr
So what does it mean to be pro-Israel? For 9th district Congresswoman Jan Schakowksy, Senate candidate Alex Giannoulias, Congressional candidate Dan Seals, Senator Dick Durbin, and J-Street, it means attending a fundraiser where the guest of honor is "journalist" Helen Thomas, a woman who has been the nastiest and most relentless Israel hater in the Washington Press Corps for decades.
Joel Pollak, the real deal in terms of pro-Israel candidates, comments on this odd love-fest: http://tinyurl.com/2erotfy


Illinois Senate race-Dem ties to failed bank


FDIC shuts down struggling financial institution
Editorial, Chicago Tribune, April 23, 2010

Time has run out for Broadway Bank, the troubled family business that threatens to take Alexi Giannoulias' U.S. Senate campaign down with it.

Federal regulators showed up at closing time on Friday and took over the 30-year-old institution founded by Giannoulias' late father, Alexis. The family wasn't able to meet the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s deadline for raising up to $85 million in capital, and the FDIC rejected bank CEO Demetris Giannoulias' plea for more time to turn things around. It's over.

But the political fallout won't fade until the election is past, despite Alexi Giannoulias' determined attempts to change the subject. Like it or not, he'll spend the next six months explaining over and over why the 34-year-old scion of a failed family business belongs in the U.S. Senate.

For better or worse, Giannoulias' political ambitions have been intertwined with Broadway's fortunes. It's a situation he invited when he ran for treasurer in 2006. The bank was thriving, and Giannoulias capitalized on that success. At 29, he could boast of being senior loan officer at the most profitable bank in Illinois.

Those campaign ads have come back to haunt him in his Senate bid. Broadway's heavy reliance on construction and development loans — an aggressive, high-growth strategy — sent the bank into a nose dive when the real estate market collapsed. Giannoulias sought to distance himself from those risky practices by pointing out that he left the bank in 2006, before things got ugly, and by backpedaling about how much influence he'd wielded in the first place.

He clung to that position to deflect questions about the bank's dealings with questionable characters, including two organized crime figures who borrowed $20 million from Broadway from 2004 to 2006.

...

Broadway's failure raises fair questions about Giannoulias' experience and judgment. Those questions won't go away, no matter how many times he answers (or ducks) them.
Jan Schakowsky Leads Offensive Against the US-Israel Relationship

Peggy Shapiro February 5, 2010

Schakowsky represents Illinois 9th district, including Skokie the hometown of David Axelrod. Her husband lobbyist Robert Creamer, executive director of the Illinois Public Action Fund, was indicted in federal court on 16 counts of bank fraud, including check kiting. August 2005, Creamer pleaded guilty to one count of failure to collect withholding tax, and bank fraud for writing checks with insufficient funds.Schakowsky was not accused of but she served on the organization’s board during the time the crimes occurred and she signed thetax filings along with her husband. Judge James B. Moran noted that Creamer acted not out of greed but in an effort to keep his community action group going without cutting programs, though Creamer paid his own $100,000 salary with fraudulently obtained funds. April 5, 2006, Creamer was sentenced to five months in prison and 11 months of house arrest….RSK





“What she [Jan Schakowsky] has said to me for the last ten years on questions of the Middle East is, ‘Where are you guys?’ You march on the war, you do everything, civil rights, you get Barack elected, but when it comes to Middle Eastern politics, the only folks I ever hear from are the AIPAC people.’…

Marilyn Katz, President of MK Communications, speaking at the J Street Chicago Launch on February 4, 2010.

Representative Jan Schakowsky, apparently tired of hearing from those pesky Jews who are worried about Israel’s security, is leading the charge against American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a the bi-partisan lobby whose single mission is a strong US-Israel relationship. (AIPAC does not endorse, rate or support candidates.) To neutralize AIPAC’s effectiveness, Schakowsky joined forces with J-Street, the political action committee which, according to its founder Ben-Ami, was founded to counter AIPAC. She hosted the J Street gala in D.C. and spoke via teleconference at the launch of J Street Chicago on Feb. 4, 2010. (Transcript and audio link of Schakowsky’s remark below)

In her address, Schakowsky proudly announced, “I’ve been a supporter of J Street since its inception.”

Although J Street calls itself a “Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace PAC,” it spouts the staples of the anti-Israel narrative (Walt and Mearsheimer) which blames the nefarious pro-Israel lobby for stopping the U.S. from imposing concessions on Israel and accuses mainstream Jewish organizations of being “right wing” and having a strangle-hold on Congress. Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. characterized J Street as “a unique problem in that it not only opposes one policy of one Israeli government, it opposes all policies of all Israeli governments.” It defends the egregiously biased Goldstone Commission Report; (Note: Morton H. Halperin, J Street council member, was discovered to be the author of the letter supposedly written by Goldstone defending his report.), opposes further sanctions on Iran and advocates rescinding those in place, demands a freeze on all Jewish construction beyond the 1949 armistice lines, including Jerusalem, calls for indefensible borders for Israel, blames Israel for the absence of peace and calls for increased U.S. pressure on Israel, but does not demand a cessation of violence against Israelis or even a recognition of Israel.

The Congresswoman who is annoyed by pro-Israel advocates finds herself more at home with J Street presenters, who include Israel bashers such as Salam al-Marayati, a proponent of the theory that Israel was the likely source of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Even liberal commentators such as Matthew Yglesias understand that J Street attendees share Schakowsky’s discomfort with a pro-Israel message. “My J Street button said “Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace.” … “But when we moved to the Q&A time it became clear that a number of people in the audience really were quite uncomfortable self-defining as “pro-Israel” in any sense and that others are uncomfortable with the basic Zionist concept of a Jewish national state.”

Schakowsky, one of the major recipients of J Street funding, stated at the Chicago event, “I’m proud to be among J Street’s first round of endorsed candidates.” The source of J Street’s funding shines a light on its real mission. J Street’s political action committee received contributions from traditionally anti-Israel groups. According to filings with the FEC, one tenth of J Street’s budget of $3 million comes from. Arab-, Iranian-, and Muslim Americans,board members of the discredited Human Rights Watch, and the Iranian lobby.

Jan Schakowsky needs the radical left J Street for her offensive against the 62-year US-Israel relationship, an alliance of democracies with shared values. “I know my friend Jan Schakowsky has said to her girlfriends: ‘Help me. Help me have a progressive wing so I can resist the kind of pressure I get from those who would see only Israel’s defense and not its annihilation of the Palestinians.’” – Marilyn Katz, President of MK Communications February 4, 2010

I have a message for Schakowsky, my congressional representative. “Girlfriend, I will be happy to relieve you of all the pressure you get from Americans who believe that Israel is entitled to the same self protection and self determination as all other nations. Since we are here to stay, we will be happy to show you out in the 2010 election.”Why vote out jan Schakowsky Ill 9 for joel pollak



more on the Jewish Vote

Jennifer Rubin - 04.21.2010 - 1:05 PM

John McLaughlin, who recently conducted a poll of American Jews, reviewed his results in a conference call today. He stressed that although exit polls showed 78 percent of Jews voted for Obama, it is significant that 46 percent would now consider voting for someone else. That number is dramatically higher among Orthodox voters (69 percent) and somewhat higher among denominationally Conservative Jews (50 percent) as well as those with family in Israel (48 percent) or those who had been to Israel (49 percent). This pattern – linking criticism of Obama with religious observance and affiliation with Israel — held on virtually all questions, including Obama’s job approval, the imposition of a peace plan, and the division of Jerusalem. On Obama’s job performance, for example, 80 percent of Orthodox Jews disapprove, and 50 of Conservatives disapprove, but only 26 percent of Reform Jews.

I asked McLaughlin if Reform Jews were also more liberal. He answered, “They are definitely more Democratic, more liberal and more concerned about domestic issues.” I also asked about the correlation between support for Obama and age. His poll screened for likely voters in the coming November and suggested there will be a drop-off in general among younger voters from 2008, which brought many new voters to the poll. Within American Jewry, older voters are more loyal to Obama and to the party. Among voters over 55 years old, only 42 percent would consider voting for someone other than Obama, while 52 percent under 55 would. In the sample, among voters over 55 years old, 64 percent were Democrats, while “only” 53 percent under 55 identified as Democrats. As a group, however, Jews remain far more liberal (40 percent identified as such in the poll, only 21 percent as conservative) than voters in general.

McLaughlin stressed that it is unusual for a Democratic president to potentially lose the support of Jews and that the issue with Israel has created a potential wedge between Obama and this constituency. He advises to keep an eye on some key Congressional races for signs of dissatisfaction with Democrats among Jewish voters — the special election in Pennsylvania’s District 12 and some New York races, including in District 4, as well as Mark Kirk’s seat.

Is there an opening for Republicans to make headway with Jewish voters? Among Orthodox, Conservative, and young voters, most certainly. But stay tuned, as we have learned it takes a lot to separate overwhelmingly liberal Jews from their Democratic affiliation





At yesterday's Chicago tea party, which I attended ,of the 8 or 9 speakers, two were Jewish, one was Puerto Rican and one was black. Arie Friedman who ran a very solid issue oriented campaign in the 10th district GOP primary, gave a very good talk on why the AMA does not represent many physicians any more, so their support for Obama Care means little.
The star of the event was Joel Pollak, who is running against J-Street's biggest Jewish supporter- Jan Schakowsky.
But Jan votes for foreign aid, so she is pro-Israel. That I think is setting the bar way too low.
Joel Pollak was a great student in high school, college and law school, a champion swimmer in high school, a fine writer, and now I learn, a songwriter and guitarist to boot. Would Obama regard this as unfair- that so much talent reside in one individual? For the record, Joel is the first Republican ever endorsed by Alan Dershowitz. And his spouse has never been sent to prison for stealing from a charity.
Joel sings his tea party ballad. At the 2:06 mark of the video, you will see a tall man with glasses appear, to the right of a blue banner. Some of you may recognize this man wearing a Blackhawks hat.
http://tinyurl.com/y33b6xn



WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's national standing has slipped to a new low after his victory on the historic health care overhaul, even in the face of growing signs of economic revival, according to the latest Associated Press-GfK poll.

The survey shows the political terrain growing rockier for Obama and congressional Democrats heading into midterm elections, boosting Republican hopes for a return to power this fall.

Just 49 percent of people now approve of the job Obama's doing overall, and less than that — 44 percent — like the way he's handled health care and the economy. Last September, Obama hit a low of 50 percent in job approval before ticking a bit higher. His high-water mark as president was 67 percent in February of last year, just after he took office.

The news is worse for other Democrats. For the first time this year, about as many Americans approve of congressional Republicans as Democrats — 38 percent to 41 percent — and neither has an edge when it comes to the party voters want controlling Congress. Democrats also have lost their advantage on the economy; people now trust both parties equally on that, another first in 2010.

Roughly half want to fire their own congressman.


Elect mark kirk Illinois senate
Giannoulias Features Radical Left-Wing Activist at Campaign Press Conference, Defends Him When Questioned

Key Questions for Alexi Giannoulias:

1. Did you know that David Borris was a radical left-wing activist who opposed the Afghan war, Iran sanctions and Israel’s right to self-defense before you invited him to be your campaign surrogate?

2. If you did not know, is it because you applied the same kind of vetting procedures you employed while Chief Loan Officer at Broadway Bank?

3. Do you agree with Mr. Borris that all members of Illinois National Guard should be withdrawn from Afghanistan?

4. Do you agree with Mr. Borris that Iran is only interested in peaceful nuclear energy and that the United States should not pursue economic sanctions against the regime?

5. Do you agree with Mr. Borris that Israel was wrong to declare Gaza a “hostile entity” after months of continuous Hamas rocket attacks?

Background:

Yesterday, just five days after announcing his support for a state income tax increase, Alexi Giannoulias held a press conference to highlight his support for 12 new federal taxes contained in the newly enacted trillion-dollar health care bill.

Since non-partisan small business owners (and the National Federation of Independent Business) know that the health care bill will raise costs, slow growth and kill jobs, Alexi Giannoulias needed to find partisan surrogates to advance his high-tax agenda.

Alexi Giannoulias turned to Hel’s Kitchen owner David Borris – a radical left-wing activist who disagrees with President Obama when it comes to the Afghan surge, Iran sanctions and Israel’s right to self-defense.

* Last year, Borris signed a petition to withdraw all Illinois National Guard from Afghanistan and Iraq.

* In 2007, Borris signed a petition condemning Israel for actions taken to protect its citizens from Hamas terrorist Qassam rocket attacks.

* In 2006, Borris signed a petition opposing sanctions against Iran and stating his belief that Iran was not developing nuclear weapons.
POSTED BY TRUTH SEEKER AT 11:55 AM 1 COMMENTS
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 2010

Giannoulias’s Shady Dealings with Iran
Giannoulias’s Shady Dealings

Illinois Senate candidate does business with French bank known for its financing of Iran’s energy sector.

BY Daniel Halper

March 19, 2010 6:02 AM



Alexi Giannoulias is no stranger to controversial business relationships: As chief loan officer at his family’s Broadway Bank, the Illinois Democrat running for President Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat authorized loans to convicted organized crime leaders like Michael “Jaws” Giorango (a pimp and bookmaker) and Demitri Stavropoulos (an illegal gambling operator). Giannoulias also serviced loans for convicted felon Tony Rezko.

And, just last week, a Chicago businessman who contributed $115,000 to Giannoulias’s campaign and received millions in loans from Broadway Bank was arrested on bank fraud charges as he attempted to flee the country.

Giannoulias, currently the state treasurer of Illinois, has some disturbing, if indirect, business connections to Iran.

Although several legislative efforts in Congress are currently in the works to apply more sanctions to Iran, and although Giannoulias has called Iran “the greatest single threat to peace in the Middle East,” when it comes to his personal finances, however, Giannoulias does not apply the same standards.

Giannoulias owns stock in his family’s Giannoulias Enterprises, a limited partnership that owns several properties in Chicago. Giannoulias’s brother, Demetris, serves as the president.

In April 2007, Giannoulias Enterprises refinanced its real estate portfolio, taking out a $21.5 million, 10-year loan on six properties – four of them being the locations of the family’s Broadway Bank. With all the banks in the world to choose from, Giannoulias Enterprises selected the French investment bank Natixis – an institution with a long and public history of doing business in Iran.

In 2007, the French bank held $117 million in deposits from the Central

That’s right. The same year Natixis held $117 million in deposits from the Central Bank of Iran, the Giannoulias family took out a $21.5 million loan.

And it’s hard to claim ignorance when the French bank’s involvement in Iran was widely reported for years. One would assume the Giannouliases understood whom they were doing business with.

In 2005, Natexis – which merged with IXIS to form Natixis in 2006 - participated in a $108 million refinancing deal for three oil tankers owned by the state-owned National Iranian Tanker Company. It also participated in a $1.1 billion loan to finance new facilities for National Iranian Tanker Co. in South Korea.

In 2004, the Financial Times reported that Natexis participated in a $1.745 billion financing package for National Iranian Oil Company to develop its South Pars natural gas fields.

In 2002, the AFP reported that the bank partnered with an Iranian bank, Karafarin Bank, to create an Iran-based leasing company for Iranian businesses. Also in 2002, the bank helped arrange $164 million in financing for Iran’s National Petrochemical Company to build an ethylene plant.

In 2001, the AFP reported that the bank participated in an $882 million syndicated loan to Iran’s National Petrochemical Company.

Alexi Giannoulias has some explaining to do
POSTED BY TRUTH SEEKER AT 4:21 AM 0 COMMENTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010

Strategy
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/18/gop-uses-people-strategy-in-bid-to-grab-obama-seat/


Originally published 04:00 a.m., March 18, 2010, updated 05:34 a.m., March 18, 2010
Illinois GOP borrows Brown's strategy in bid to grab Obama seat

Joseph Curl

It worked in Massachusetts, so Illinois Republicans are looking for a repeat.

"This is not Obama's seat, it's the people's seat," Rep. Mark Steven Kirk, the Republican candidate running for Illinois' Senate seat vacated by the president, declares at campaign stops.

Eager to tap the voter angst and stump lines that propelled Sen. Scott Brown to unexpected victory in another Democrat-dominated state, Massachusetts, Mr. Kirk has made it clear that even though the president remains popular in his home state, his policies aren't.

And with just 38 percent of all Illinois voters giving Mr. Obama good or excellent ratings for his handling of health care reform, the five-term lawmaker is actually putting the Democratic stronghold in play.

"For the first time in a long time, the Republicans have a good chance of winning this Senate seat," said Paul Green, a professor of policy studies at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Republican Party leaders in the state are making no secret that they'll target Mr. Obama as the consummate Washington insider, and the latest polls indicate some traction. A Rasmussen poll last week showed the race statistically tied, with Mr. Kirk trailing Democrat Alexi Giannoulias, the treasurer of Illinois and a basketball-playing friend of Mr. Obama's, by just three points, well within the survey's margin of error.

"President Obama's still very popular here, and he will always be popular here, but he hasn't shown any coattails," said Pat Brady, the state's Republican Party chairman.

"Anyone who's running against any of our Republicans in congressional or Senate campaigns, we're going to tie them directly to President Obama's policies, which are not popular here."

But some analysts say the GOP is walking a dangerous path in a blue state and suggest not overplaying the hand.

Mr. Green said Mr. Kirk could take an anti-Washington stance, attack House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, "but I'd stay away from Obama."

"He has to be careful, only because Kirk's success has been he's been able to straddle, to get a lot of people who vote Democratic to vote for Kirk," he said. "The Democratic Party here is in a whole bunch of trouble. You could spend all day doing that."

The woes of the Democratic Party, said DePaul University political analyst Michael Mezey, should keep the Republican from focusing his campaign on the president.

"That's probably the one mistake Mr. Kirk could make. I think Kirk would be silly to do this when he is running against a candidate who can be attacked on his own and has numerous weaknesses," he said.

Illinois Democrats have been mired in political scandals. In January 2009, the state legislature impeached and ousted Democrat Rod R. Blagojevich as governor. His trial on charges of racketeering, fraud, lying to investigators and trying to sell Mr. Obama's former U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder is set to begin in June and could run right up to the November election.

Mr. Obama's replacement in the Senate, Roland W. Burris, also made headlines when reports emerged that he had contacts with Mr. Blagojevich's brother before being appointed. The Senate Ethics Committee admonished him in November 2009; Mr. Burris is not seeking election to the seat.

In addition, Scott Cohen, a pawnbroker-turned-politician who won the Democratic nomination to run for lieutenant governor, became embroiled in a scandal over charges that he beat his girlfriend in 2005. Just a week after winning the nomination in February, he dropped out of the race.

Mr. Giannoulias, 33, has plenty of his own problems. He has been under scrutiny as state treasurer for his handling as of a college savings program that lost $150 million. His family's bank, Broadway Bank, where he worked as a lending officer before entering politics, is on the verge of takeover by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The bank made hundreds of millions of dollars in bad loans and shortly before the mortgage crisis, the Giannoulias family withdrew $70 million from the bank in 2007 and 2008, according to news reports.

Mr. Giannoulias also made millions of dollars in loans to Tony Rezko, a political fundraiser for Mr. Blagojevich who is awaiting sentencing on convictions of fraud and money laundering. He also made loans to Michael "Jaws" Giorango, a convicted prostitution-ring operator.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has gotten in on the act, issuing a Web video last month that mocked Mr. Kirk's opponent, asking at the end: "Is this change we can believe in?"

Mr. Obama carried Illinois over Sen. John McCain by a whopping 25 percentage points, 62 percent to 37 percent, in 2008. Fifty-six percent of voters in the state now approve of the job he is doing as president, the latest poll found.

What's more, Illinois voters, by a 52 percent to 39 percent margin, oppose the massive health care reform bill in its current form, preferring Congress pass smaller bills that address individual problems in a step-by-step approach.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 2010

Kirk sends letter to Obama about attacking Israel
Kiork the criticism is proving to be bipartisan. Pennsylvania Rep. Christopher Carney, a Democrat, and Illinois Republican Rep. Mark Kirk are sending a joint letter to Obama telling him to recommit to a number of principles, including “the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, [under which] official United States policy recognizes Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel.” Rep. Eliot Engel added his voice to those pro-Israel Democrats. (”We should not have a disproportionate response to Israel. We need to be careful and measured in our response, and I think we all have to take a step back.”) And Minority
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MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2010

Here is Kirk on Jerusalem. what does his opponent say?
Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk, now a Senate candidate, issued this statement as the mess unfolded last week:

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Jerusalem Embassy Act, making it official United States policy that Jerusalem should remain the undivided capital of Israel,” Congressman Kirk said. “As a staff member, I helped draft this historic legislation; as a Congressman I continue to urge its enforcement. History teaches us that a divided Jerusalem leads to conflict while a unified Jerusalem protects the rights of all faiths. I urge the Administration to spend more time working to stop Iran from building nuclear bombs and less time concerned with zoning issues in Jerusalem. As Iran accelerates its uranium enrichment, we should not be condemning one of America’s strongest democratic allies in the Middle East.
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010

Why has Giannoulias supported anti-Israel group?
After Questioning Opponent’s Support for Israel, Alexi Giannoulias Must Explain Past Support for Anti-Israel Foundation

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 @ 03:02 PM
In an effort to deflect from his embattled record and ethical issues surrounding his family bank’s ties to the mafia, Illinois Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias (D-IL) attacked his opponent, U.S. Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL), for opposing a U.S. military option in Iran and falsely claiming Kirk wanted to "let Israel handle it."
The attack on Kirk - an established pro-Israel champion who engineered the Iran Refined Sanctions Petroleum Act and won the deployment of a U.S. X-Band radar to Israel - was an obvious attempt by Giannoulias to smear his opponent in the Jewish community and claim to be the "more pro-Israel" candidate in the race.
In light of his attack on Kirk, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) called on Giannoulias to explain his close family ties and past support for a known anti-Israel foundation in Chicago.
In 2006, Giannoulias served as Vice President and Chief Loan Officer of his family-owned Broadway Bank, where he bragged in a recent interview: "I did everything there." A closer look at the contributions made by Giannoulias’ family bank to the Crossroad Funds - a left-wing Chicago foundation - reveals a disconcerting trend:
In 2006, records show that Giannoulias’ Broadway Bank contributed between $1,000 and $5,000 to the Crossroad Funds, which provided a $4,000 grant to the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel & Palestine in 2006
In 2007, records show that Broadway Bank elevated to the Crossroads’ "$5,000 & Above" gift level, while the foundation provided another $4,000 to the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel & Palestine.
In 2008, records show Broadway Bank continued its contributions to Crossroads, while the foundation provided another $4,000 to the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel & Palestine.
While 2009 records are not yet available, Crossroads expanded its anti-Israel grants beyond another $3,500 for the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel & Palestine - this time adding another $1,000 for the Electronic Intifada. Moreover, the Giannoulias-backed foundation honored Electronic Intifada at its 2009 annual benefit.
"The Giannoulias family’s support for fringe anti-Israel activity in Chicago is shocking. For supporters of Israel, the Illinois Senate race in November pits Congressman Mark Kirk, who has served as an independent leader and pro-Israel champion, against 33-year-old Alexi Giannoulias, whose family bank boasts strong ties to fringe anti-Israel organizations in Chicago. The contrast in this election could not be more clear," said NRSC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand.
POSTED BY TRUTH SEEKER AT 10:21 AM 1 COMMENTS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Giannoulias and corruption
A Senate Race, Chicago Style

Peggy Shapiro
Illinois Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias may have a bit of explaining to do on more than just his history with the failing Broadway Bank, owned by his family, the source of his personal wealth, and where he served for several years as chief loan officer. Now it appears that his brother Demetrus, the bank's Chief Financial Officer, served on the Board of Directors of the Crossroads Fund:

" a foundation that provides grants to left-wing community organizing groups in the Chicago area. Community organizing Chicago style means ACORN, the group being investigated for voter registration fraud and exposed in the national scandal involving underage prostitution and human smuggling. Sure enough ACORN is a recipient of the Giannoulias fund grants. Not surprisingly, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dhorn are active fundraisers for Crossroads."

Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn (center) hosting a Crossroads' fundraiser

Even more embarrassing for Giannoulias, who will oppose Republican Congressman Mark Kirk in November, is that his brother's Foundation funded some of the most radical pro-Palestinian groups in the country. Kirk has one of the best records in Congress defending a strong U.S. Israel relationship. Alexi Giannoulias has tried to mouth the right words to suggest he too is pro-Israel. His brother's involvement with Crossroads will not help Alexi's lame attempt to persuade the pro-Israel community that he is as strong as Kirk on these issues.

"The Giannoulias' foundation finances not only radically left but also virulently anti-Israel groups such as the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel & Palestine - a leading anti-Israel organization in Chicago. Among the anti-Israel products financed by Giannoulias' foundation are Nakba Day Commemorations. Nakba, means "day of the catastrophe" or the anniversary of Israel's independence. The group also desciminates anti-Israel "educational materials, such as A Nakba Awareness Flyer, and promotes legislative action against Israel's right to defend itself from rocket attacks, a right which CJPIP terms 'odious.'
"A second group funded by Giannoulias' foundation is the Electronic Intifada led by notorious anti-Israel organizer Ali Abunimah. Abunimah is also listed as a major donor of Crossroads. With the help of Giannoulias' foundation, Electronic Intifada helped publicize: Letter campaign: Israeli apartheid deserves no amnesty and Organize for boycott Israel day of action. The Electronic Intifada also sent out anAction alert: Kick Dayton and his mercenaries out of Palestine to oppose U.S. training of Palestinian security forces so that terrorists will find no impediment to their plans for attacks on Israeli and Palestinian civilians. In return for its good deeds, the Giannoulias' foundation honored Electronic Intifada at its 2009 annual benefit."

Did Alexi Giannoulias attend the Crossroads Fund benefit dinner? How close was he to some of the Crossroads fundraisers, and to groups that received Crossroads Funds? Recall that this is a contest for Barack Obama's former Senate seat. Maybe it should not be so surprising that the current Democratic nominee has family connections to the same troubling cast of characters that Barack Obama tried to run from when he ran for President.

Update:
Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias may cry that he is not his brother's keeper about the radical, anti-Israel groups which are funded by his brother Demetris Giannoulias' Crossroads Fund; however, the Crossroads Fund, like the troubled Broadway Bank, is a Gianounlias family affair.

It seems that Demetris, Chief Financial Officer of the Broadway Bank, went on board for Crossroads when Alexi, then Broadway Bank VP, decided to run for the treasurer's office. Seeking to curry favor with Chicago's far-left, who had catapulted Obama into office, Demetris and the Broadway Bank became major donors to Crossroads. Broadway Bank contributions to the Crossroads Fund are reported in the organization's annual reports in 2006 page 17, 2007 page 17, and 2008 page 6. As much as he may want to avoid the embarrassment of explaining his connections to ACORN, Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dhorn, and the Electronic Intifada, Alexi can't distance himself from his brother or other family members. (By the way, his family contributed over half of the $5.5 million Alexi collected for his campaign to be Illinois State treasurer
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Remove Jan Schakowsky Illinois -9 ELECT JOEL POLLAK
As the elections season goes into full-swing, our campaign requires your help to fight on key issues.

In recent weeks, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) has demonstrated her continued disregard and ignorance on critical national security issues, including matters pertaining to our closest Ally, the state of Israel, and open threats from the Iranian government. I believe we must adopt a tougher and more principled approach to Iranand whole heartedly support Israel’s defense.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky has failed to sign a letter calling for crippling sanctions on Iran to pressure the Tehran regime to give up its nuclear weapons program. The Jackson-Pence letter, as it is called, has already been signed by 216 Democrats and Republicans, including several leading Illinois Democrats. Rep. Schakowsky has also refused to join other Illinois Democrats in criticizing the Obama administration’s behavior towards Israel. In a time of crisis, she has sided with those who blame Israel first. Yet President Obama’s ill-judged condemnations have damaged our global image and encouraged the enemies of Israel and the U.S. alike.
And now she's got a real fight on her hands in this year's general election. We urgently need more resources to get our message out—and a strong showing before tomorrow will send a powerful message to Jan Schakowsky that her stubborn voting record, which could bring dangerous consequences to the United States and our closest allies security, will no longer be tolerated.
I have challenged Rep. Schakowsky to stop dodging the tough questions and advertised this full-page open letter to her in the recent issue of the Chicago Jewish News.
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TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 2010

votes to bankrupt USA
WASHINGTON, DC -- Joel Pollak, the Republican nominee facing Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Illinois' 9th congressional district, has issued the following statement regarding today's vote on health care in the House of Representatives:

Congress has ignored the will of the people, and has passed a bill that will add $562 billion to our national deficit in the first 10 years. Worse, it will force middle class families to spend up to 25% of after-tax income on mandatory health insurance. It will kill jobs in Illinois and put the government in between patients and their doctors.

This fight is not over yet. There are many aspects of the bill that are unconstitutional, and that will not survive the scrutiny of the courts. But we don't have to wait for the courts to act. We can send a message this November, by electing a new Congress that will repeal the worst aspects of the bill and start over with new ideas for real health care reform.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky has played a singularly destructive role in this debate. She voted to cut half a trillion dollars from Medicare. She tried to manipulate public opinion in favor of a single-payer system. She had paid Astroturfers try to silence the residents of her district at her town hall meeting. She will face the verdict of the voters this November.