Progressives In Harman District Inflamed By AIPAC Wiretap Story

[babylonsister]

Harman furor incites progressives
By ALEX ISENSTADT | 5/7/09 4:26 AM EDT


Two weeks after news outlets reported that Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) was recorded on a wiretapped phone conversation promising to intercede in a Justice Department investigation in exchange for help winning a powerful committee chairmanship, the furor on Capitol Hill has largely died down.

But back home in her Southern California-based district, liberal activists who have never truly embraced Harman are just getting started. Several of them, most notably Marcy Winograd, who heads up Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles, and John Amato, who writes for the popular Crooks and Liars blog, are now making moves to challenge Harman in the Democratic primary, and the recent controversy will be at the heart of their message.

The wiretapping story “has been very, very damaging to her because it highlights what people most distrust about politicians in general: personal gain taking precedence over the voters they are supposed to be representing,” Amato told POLITICO in an e-mail.

Winograd, who ran an unsuccessful primary campaign against Harman in 2006, argued that Harman’s moderate voting record had alienated voters, especially in the district’s more liberal reaches.

“I think what’s important is that Jane Harman’s charade of being a protector of the Constitution should be challenged and exposed,” said Winograd, who received 38 percent of the vote to Harman’s 62 percent in 2006.

more...

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22201.html

[suede1]

1. Now Winograd has better name recognition.

That should help.

[hlthe2b]

2. I don't trust Harman as far as I could throw her...

This is not the first incident that should have gotten her canned. Go, Amato