Jane Harman and Newsweek's Meacham: Both Mute on Harman Influence on Newsweek and Call to End Harman's Business Ties to Iran

TORRANCE, Calif., July 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On July 8, 2010, Mattie Fein, Jane Harman's opponent in the 36th district in California, wrote an open letter to Newsweek's Managing Editor Jon Meacham voicing concerns over Jane Harman's history of strong arm tactics that could potentially influence Newsweek magazine if an acquisition by Harman International is successful.

Harman continues unrepentant over her attempt to kill a New York Times story exposing spying on Americans on American soil in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; and, urging prosecution of the newspaper under the Espionage Act for its publication.

Harman has not disputed a single syllable of my disclosures.

On July 2, 2010, the day after the Iran Sanctions bill was signed into law, I highlighted Harman's ownership of millions of dollars of shares in Harman International while its wholly owned Austrian subsidiary, AKG, is distributing arguable dual use electronic equipment in Iran. Harman has not disputed a single syllable denying she has shares with business ties to Iran.

Harman has yet to respond to my call for her to divest Harman International shares to end her existing conflict of loyalties between the United States and Iran. California Attorney General Jerry Brown, Senator Barbara Boxer, and other leading Democrat California politicians as well as Republicans have clamored for government divestment of stock or curtailment of contracts with companies doing business in Iran.

Managing Editor Meacham has been missing in action regarding Harman's potential for diverting Newsweek from investigative reporting into a political mouthpiece for the her political agenda. Meacham's silence on the Iran-Jane Harman issue begs the question, "Why?" It is not because of the absence of newsworthiness. Newsweek has written recently about the re-defection of an Iranian nuclear scientist and Iranian political schisms. Perhaps Jane Harman's influence has already begun.

Harman's going AWOL on the free press and conflicts of interest I have elaborated, flouts her obligation to voters in her district. She has scampered away from my challenge to debate her four times before November's general election with the Daily Breeze as a sponsor. Oozing with false humility, Harman's political advertisements cluck that her seat is not an entitlement. But her refusal to engage speaks the volumes. As President Ronald Reagan said, "Here we go, again."

Paid for and Authorized by Mattie Fein for Congress

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SOURCE Mattie Fein for Congress