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Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif. on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 2010.
From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
NBC News has learned that Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., is expected to announce tomorrow that she will quit Congress to become the president and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.
Harman will succeed the current leader, former Rep. Lee Hamilton, who has led the bipartisan think tank for 12 years.
Her California district is reliably Democratic. A special election will have to be called to replace her.
Harman, who has served as a senior foreign policy and intelligence voice in the Democratic caucus, was first elected to the House in 2000.
*** UPDATE *** NBC's Shawna Thomas reports that Harman's departure comes as a surprise to rank-and-file Democrats, as well as to their leader in the House. A source confirms that Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi didn't know about Harman's intention until she was informed today.
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Talk about the mis-placed trust the voters had in her. If she leaves office after she was just elected two months ago, she should pay for the special election to replace her.
Why should she stay in Congress with an offer as such. Think Tanks are financial magnets. She would be a damn fool to turn down an offer like this just to please a few Liberals on the West Coast. She will be setting her own agenda and do not answer to an electorate that think they know more than she does.
I totally agree with your assessment, Jeffro !
And I agree with IntheMiddle. What would you do Jeffro? Turn down a better job?
Think Tanks = more money more money!
As unfortunate as it might be for the voters, this is how things are. If I had a better offer, I would not think twice about leaving my job. You vote someone in to do a job and this is what happens at times.
"Harman, who has served as a senior foreign policy and intelligence voice in the Democratic caucus,"
Who wouldn't want to flee from being forever labeled as the "intelligence voice" for this despicable group? Just like everyone who has fled this administration, it will be better in the future to be able to show that you left rather then remain complicit with them.
Think tank = lobby
Hopefully her replacement votes for legislation sanctioning the ability of lobbies to dictate policy...then she can be out of a job completely.
Hmmm Woodrow Wilson. League of Nations - FAIL. Forerunner to the United Nations - the place we fork over the largest chunk of the money - to distribute to poor nations (dictators get most of it) and we are called rich, greedy, and imperialistic to our faces. Yup, thats a good one too!
IntheMiddle, how about the fact that she agreed to represent a group of people, they worked hard to help her get the job she wanted and agreed to do. Do you know how much money she makes a year right now, it's not tiny by "normal" folks standards. So it would appear that she became a politician for money and connections, and not to try to make her state and country a better place, those were the wrong reasons, and now that we know that, she needs to hurry up and get the hell out. And yes jeffro I agree, she should be required to pay not only for the special election, but the campaign costs for her party's new candidate as well.
MacGyver:
Stop whining. Most politicians, and I say again, MOST are in the business for connections to the real money outside of politics. If you think they really gives a ratz azz about you and me, then I have a piece of waterfront property for sale in the Mojave desert.
Harman is already worth 150 million easy. I am yet to see a broke Congressman/woman.
People should stop voting the same person in over and over again. Congress was not designed for someone to become a professional but people have made that possible. Look at all those old coots in Congress that can barely stand drinking out of saucers but yet are making 21st decisions for this country. They need to retire just like the rest of the country at 65.
She just ran for and was voted in office two short months ago and now a Better gig comes along and she is quiting. Screw the voters again.
I say since she is leaving by choice so she should be required to pay for the special election.
Yes, she should, just like Sara Palin had to.
... Is your hate for Palin so unbridled that you would make ignorant or stupid comments to falsely parallel a Governor's office to a Representative's? There is such a thing as a Lieutenant Governor... you know... like a VP is to the President. Just... wow.
I was going to join one dem thinking tanks down at the white trash lounge
Has anyone ever studied the net worth of people who are elected to office when they are elected to office, when they leave office, and then 10 years after they have left office.
Seems to me it would be like someone growing up in a slum, getting a sch?larship to play sports for a college team and moving on to professional sports.
I see many more pulling up stakes before the next election. The American populace is so p.o'd at this bunch of Congress, most of the rats will be jumping the ship to something a little more "stable." I'll bet they've all tuned up their resumes. They would be foolish if they didn't.
I think it's likely that they realize that the country has lost it's collective mind and there is no point trying to stick a finger in the dike and hold back the self destruction that we seem to be headed for.
Good Luck and thank you Ms. Harman.
Now Ms. Harman, all you need to do is play the victim from the people attacking you for this decision, and you can become a media darling and make MILLIONS and be just like Sarah Palin.
Nah, on second thought, you're not that narcissistic. Best of luck with the new venture - after all, you didn't quit halfway through your first term. THAT would have been quite the Palin-esque move to make.
Looking at pics of Harman and Palin in each hand......hmmmmm...I go with Palin any day of the week.
Sharing a bit too much information there, ITM. We don't really respect whomever it is that you choose to wank to.
Didn't her husband just buy Newsweek?
Harman and Pelosi never got along. As far as taking the job is concerned, again, Harman and Pelosi are neck and neck as far as who has more money. Bottom line she shouldn't have run, if she had any idea about quitting. BTW, I am a flaming-liberal Democrat so you can save your comments about my political philosophy.
I am glad to know where Jane Harman can be found once the official investigation of her treason and graft begins.
She's got that same look in her eye as Nancy......scary women!
She never blinks either.....frozen in time.......the ole' TOX does that.
Luke Russert just told everyone watching msnbc that Rep. Harmon is worth 151 million dollars. Maybe she should pay for the special election herself.
Maybe her husband doesn't share....ever heard of Harman Kardon?
Small world when it comes to money
She should pay for any special election. She has failed to live up to her contract, If her district and state are forced to hold a special electron (I know many states do not replace a rep. until the next general election), she should be held responsible for costs incurred.
I also know that the Woodrow Wilson Center is a bipartisan organization that is to the far left of middle America.
Harman is now the Democrats Sarah Palin. A quiter!
Robert Pike..At least she didn't quit after 12 yrs.Waldo Palin quit,I believe,after two yrs..
Jane Harman reminds me of Cloris Leachman....and that's not a good thing. Her quitting is in insult to the voters that put her back into office. She's getting out because she knows what's coming down in Congress is not going to be good for her or the country.
Her supporters will install another Democrat in her place rather easily. She'll still be in Washington DC and able to contact her district's representative face to face. It's actually a win-win for her constituents.
Comparing Harman to Palin is ignorant beyond words. Palin is a willfull ignorant. Harman, a trustworthy, as far as that goes, public servant.
Too bad she ran for office then quits her job 4 months after being elected,, poor ethics in my opinion !
But knowing where she is going ,, to a Liberal Progressive Lobbying Group,, it all fits.. Woodrow Wilson was the First of the Horrible LIberal PRogressive Party and I find him one of the worst Presidents ever.. AT his worst which is bad,, he only started the Liberal Progressive plot to wreck America ,, Obama will finish America off with his Mad and Insane Progressive Agenda... I watched Paul Ryan absolutely tear up Nancy Maloney on MSNBC Squawk Box this morning. Maloney was on to rebutt Ryan's intelligent and informed comments where he spoke in great detail about the crisis we face with our Debt. Maloney only spit out the Obama political garbage backing More Investment -- ie more Spending...
The Liberal Progressives deal only in visions of Education , Transparency , Racial Assaults,, Unions,, but when it requires specific economic knowledge ,, they fumble and rely on Liberal Rhetoric,, which is all older than the hills and has NEVER worked,,, see FDR, Jimmy Carter,, and worst of all ,, Obama..
There is going to be open warfare in Congress,, when the Republicans insist of massive spending cuts and the Senate shoots it down,, and if the Senate does pass Budget Cuts,, Obama will veto it,, don't blame the Right when Obama shuts down the government. Maybe it needs to be shut down and let the cards fall where they may... Independent citizens like myself who pay their taxes and take care of themselves,, won't be affected,,, but the dregs of society,, all Democratic voters,,, will get the shock of their lives :-)
Man he destroyed that lady. She was fumbling her talking points, even looking down at her notes. When your eyes start moving rapidly side to side, you are confused and thinking up a lie.
Apparently,Harman has seen the Writing on the Wall as far as having influence on Foreign policy issues,or any other chaired committee member due to the party change in the House. Possiblly,she was offered a lead chair on a committee that failed to materialize-whatever. This is a great chance for the Tea Party right to install a Representative that will help solve the $25 billion shortfall in the Califonia budget.Good luck!
Brown has already called for a special election on taxes due to the $25 Billion shortfall.I offered a link,but MSNBC denied.
I hope the think-tank uses their qualifications and positions to understand the problems we face as a country. I hope they use independent consultants who are #1 in their field of study. The people who actually vote for us don't have a clue to the solutions. So I hope this think tank puts our country #1 in their priorities to think thru our problems and contribute much needed solutions. What we have been doing for some many years has brought us to this so something's not working right. Good Luck I hope they work faster than our Congress.
in prior
The difference between Republicans and Democats, such as there is: Democrats resign to become lobbyists, Republicans just run the lobbyists for office.
Given Harman's complicity in Bush's torture program, and her abject failure on the House Intelligence Committee to conduct oversight, both California and the nation will be better off without her.
If she was privvy to a gang of six meeting she was precluded from discussing what she was told with anyone, meaning she could not conduct an oversight hearing on those subjects even in secret session.
Harman had the speech and debate clause available for use at any time. There's existing supreme court precedent on this issue, which Mike Gravel established when he read the Pentagon Papers on the House floor.
She would of course have lost her seat on the committee as a result, but she would have done the right thing.
Her failure to report the Bush torture program is itself a violation of international law, and very likely a violation of USC 2340a.
What part of a secrecy oath would allow her to take to the floor of the house and divulge state secrets?
What SCOTUS precedent addresses information received in a GANG of EIGHT meeting?
As I said, the speech & debate clause. This is well established precedent - legislators and their aides have absolute immunity when discussing legislative issues.
You might want to learn up about Gravel v. US.