Et Tu, Rep. Harman?

It would seem, based on yesterday evening's conversation between NPR's Robert Siegel and Representative Jane Harman (D - California), that Rep. Harman is in a heap of trouble. If you missed the interview, here's a transcript.

Rep. Harman is the Chair of the Intelligence Subcommittee of the Homeland Security Committee, but at the time of the offense in question, during the Bush administration, she was the ranking Democrat on the committee. It appears as though two lobbyists (damn lobbyists...) were accused of espionage, and someone called Harman to ask for lenience. And the National Security Agency recorded (read: wiretapped) the call. According to the article: "...the caller offered political help to Harman in her hopes of becoming chair of the House Intelligence Committee and asked that she call the Justice Department on behalf of the two lobbyists." The WaPo reported that the Fed Prosecutors were considering dropping the charges aginst the lobbyists.

The fun begins:

Robert Siegel: First, do you remember the phone call in question? Who is the other party and is that a fair description of what was discussed?

Rep. Jane Harman: We don't know if there was a phone call. These are three unnamed sources, former and present national security officials, who are allegedly selectively leaking information about a phone call or phone calls that may or may not have taken place. I have to say I am outraged that I may have been wiretapped by my government in 2005 or 2006 while I was ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee. [emphasis added]

So...despite deatiled recordings and multiple reports, you aren't sure if this phone call ever existed?? More fun:

Siegel: The New York Times reports today that in a call, the caller offered to get Haim Saban, a big political donor and a supporter of Israel, to tell Nancy Pelosi that he wouldn't donate money if you didn't get the chairmanship of the Intelligence Committee.

[Harman chuckles.]

Siegel: Any conversation like that, ever?

Harman: Well, how do we know?

What do you mean "how do we know??" You were there, right? Or are you pulling a Reagan?

Siegel: But here are some quotations attributed to the transcript of the wiretap of your conversation that CQ reported. At the end, you say to the caller, "This conversation doesn't exist." But that's after you're quoted as saying that you "would waddle into the matter" — that is, of Rosen and Weissman —if you "think it would make a difference." Can you recall saying that, or is that a fair conversation to have with someone?

Harman: No. I can't recall with any specificity a conversation I may have had...

Yup. Looks like it.

Read the transcript. She is calling for a full, non-redacted release of the transcripts to her office, which she will make public. Mostly, though, she's pissed that there is an investigation on her and nobody told her. Siegel calls her out on the fact that gee, if there's an investigation on you or anyone, do you think they'd let you know?? She essentially deflects, saying that wiretapping members of Congress is bad enough, but really it's the citizens we should worry about. I personnally find it hilarious that she supported wiretapping all of us, but is really pissed that she got wiretapped. Careful what you wish for, Harman.

So here's a big test for Pelosi. Will she dump Harman from her Chair? Should she?