I’ve been with the in-laws in the woods so have missed the most important story in American policy in the Middle East, skinnydipping in the Galilee, the fact that the FBI is interested in a congressional junket to Israel last year during which Kansas congressman Kevin Yoder jumped naked into the sea of Galilee. Yoder has duly apologized.
But Yousf Munayyer has the appropriate response at Politico:
It’s quite telling that the “news angle” here is about a congressman skinny dipping on a trip to Israel and not the bigger far more important and embarrassing problem of Congress’ regular prostitution to the pro-Israel lobby.
The first issue involves nudity and politicians, the second only involves major implications for American foreign policy in a region where we have countless interests, thousands of troops and a history of flawed foreign policy. But hey, sex and scandals drive traffic and ratings so who cares about all that other stuff.
We did a lot of reporting on the American Israel Education Foundation, a branch of AIPAC, last year– showing that good liberal Jewish philanthropists who endowed halls at Princeton and Harvard, and ballets and art museums, were also doing their utmost to corrupt American politicians on Israel policy. They’ve succeeded. The fact that the press can look on a midnight swim as more important than the obeisance of the Congress to the Israel lobby– a “private factfinding tour,” in the narcotized words of the Washington Post— shows the degree to which the entire American establishment has been converted to the Zionist cause. When is the press going to look into these Congressional “birthright” trips and blow the real story out of the water? When are they going to look into birthright, for that matter? Plenty of skinnydipping there.
In the original “get naked” Politico article they stated “privately paid for excursions” something like that. Jumped out at me. Have been politely hounding Huff Po (had the naked story up) and Chris Matthews to go deeper. “privately paid excursions” Chris Matthews did mention last night( Monday) that Aipac or some affiliate more than likely paid for the trips. How many of us thought this pay to play system was going to come to a halt after the Abramoff/ Ney scandal. But clearly not so when it comes to Israel (this was allegedly a fact finding mission). Looked up some of the rules that were passed after the Abramoff scandal ” Member and staff participation in officially connected travel that is in any way planned, organized, requested, or arranged by a lobbyist is prohibited” I believe some congress person was made to pay back a trip that was paid for by Taiwan for he and his wife. These congressional freshman and staff should pay back that money that they took from whomever paid for that trip to a foreign nation. That pay to play money. No need to wonder why only 9% to 12% (depending on which MSM outlet you listen to) of the American public have any faith in Dem or Republican Reps.
Glad you cut yourself off a bit in the woods with family. A good thing for mind and soul. You deserve time off
Phil I have an old email address for you. Could you send me your new one so I can directly send you heads up info again
Go read the Pro Publica story ” Lobbyist arranged N.Y. Congressman’s $20,ooo trip to Taiwan” unable to link
So if this Congressman had to pay back that 20,ooo to those who arranged that trip to Taiwan why not the same standard for pay to play trips to Israel?
The Freshman congress folks get naked in Israel story is off the front page of Huff Po now. Was front and center on Monday evening then went below the fold with the apology and the Akin “legitimate rape” story. Not one of the Huff po pieces brought up the pay to play issue or the F.B.I. interest.
When will anyone bring up that New York Congressman Bill Owen was required to pay back that Taiwanese pay to play trip. What applies to Bill Owen and that Taiwanese trip should apply to these freshman and their staff’s pay to play trips to Israel.
i read this story at politico, had the same reaction as Munayyer. politico’s article actually quoted someone as saying this late experience was a ‘rite of passage‘ for new congresspeople. i will try to find the quote. my jaw dropped open when i read that. why are our congress members having their ‘rite of passage’ in friggin israel?