[AP/Forbes] Matt Apuzzo - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other senior intelligence officials should not be forced to testify about whether they discussed classified information with pro-Israel lobbyists, federal prosecutors argued in a closed-door court hearing Friday. Two former American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbyists facing espionage charges have subpoenaed Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Deputy National Security Adviser Elliott Abrams and several others to testify at their trial, set for Jan. 14. Documents filed by attorneys for lobbyists Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman argue that the interest group played an unofficial but sanctioned role in crafting foreign policy and that Rice and others can confirm it - that back-channel disclosures are an everyday common practice. That argument is a key to the defense. Defense attorneys suggested that top U.S. officials regularly used the lobbyists as a go-between as they crafted Middle East policy. If so, attorneys say, how are Rosen and Weissman supposed to know the same behavior that's expected of them on one day is criminal the next?
2007-08-31 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive