News Compass

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

U.S. Rep. Artur Davis (D-Birmingham) - Biggest Beneficiary of AIPAC's Political Campaign Contribution

Read here FULL article, "Rep. Davis helped by group tied to spy case" by Eric Fleischauer, staff writer for The Decatur Daily News

5th September 2004

The major beneficiary of pro-Israel campaign contributions in this state (Alabama) has been U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham.

According to an estimate by the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics, Davis received $206,595 in pro-Israel contributions in advance of the 2002 election.

This despite the fact he was NOT an incumbent, and despite the fact his five-term incumbent opponent, Earl Hilliard, was also a Democrat.

Even under the conservative CRP estimate, Davis' 2002 pro-Israel receipts were more than double his total contributions from his previous try at Hilliard's seat, in 2000.

Seventy-six percent (76 %) of Davis' contributions during the 2002 election cycle came from outside Alabama, most from New York City.

"I received a lot of money from the Jewish community. I agree with that," Davis said.

The contributions to Davis were higher than pro-Israel contributions to any other candidate for the House in 2002, according to the CRP.

Steve Weiss, head of the CRP, said the organization's methodology in calculating pro-Israel contributions tends to underreport them.

This is the case because it must largely ignore individual contributions.

Davis' filings with the Federal Elections Commission suggest the pro-Israel contributions are much higher than CRP estimated.

As of March 31, 2002, according to the FEC, Davis had reported $92,100 in political contributions. At that point, Davis' receipts were about one-fourth of Hilliard's receipts.

In mid-April of 2002, Davis attended a series of fundraisers, coordinated by AIPAC members, in New York City and Washington D.C.

Davis' receipts skyrocketed.

By May 15, 2002, Davis was up to $446,821.

Of the 517 individual contributions to Davis in the weeks surrounding the fundraisers, only four came from Alabamians.

After beating Hilliard in the primary, Davis' only opposition in the general election was a little-known Libertarian. Davis, nonetheless, had collected receipts totaling $1.6 million by the end of the 2002 election cycle.

Earl Hilliard, from Birmingham, who lost to Davis, knocked heads with the pro-Israel lobby in 2001 when he and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus took pro-Arab positions on several issues.

He said Tuesday he believes pro-Israel money won Davis the 2002 election.

Hilliard said his main concern is that pro-Israel money tends to crowd out the voice of Arab countries, a result he said could eventually lead to more wars in the Middle East.

"We are being embroiled in a 3,000-year-old conflict," Hilliard said. "Israel's influence is tremendous."

Davis actively courted AIPAC and the pro-Israel vote BEFORE the 2002 election.

He spoke at FIVE fund-raisers sponsored by AIPAC members in New York City.

This year, he had one fund-raiser sponsored by an AIPAC member in New York City and another one sponsored by a Birmingham AIPAC member.

Two weeks after the 2002 election, an AIPAC publication explained why he received strong Jewish support.

"Davis has met with AIPAC activists and staff and has close ties to members of the local and national pro-Israel community."

A pro-Israel PAC, To Protect Our Heritage, said in a newsletter that it contributed money to Davis' 2002 campaign because "Hilliard has one of the most dismal records in Congress in Israel-related issues."

The issue is to some extent the chicken-or-egg dilemma.

Did Davis become pro-Israel to get Jewish contributions, or did the Jewish community support him because he was pro-Israel?

Davis said whatever AIPAC's involvement in alleged espionage, he had no relationship with the committee.

Davis said, "I have never accepted money from AIPAC. My relationship has been with donors who are members of AIPAC."
Despite its name, AIPAC is not a political action committee. It cannot legally contribute to candidates, but it can — and does — recommend that its members make contributions.

The Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Appropriations bill, approved by the Senate, included more than $300 million for joint U.S.-Israel weapons programs.

It also included $2.22 billion in military aid to Israel.

In 2004, Israel received $2.16 billion in military aid.

Hilliard said these numbers indicate the power of AIPAC.

Hilliard said:

"Everyone (in Congress) is scared of it. They are afraid the same thing that happened to me will happen to them."

Davis said the allegations against Franklin may suggest illegal activity, but not anti-American activity.

Davis said,

"At its height, the allegation would simply be that the information was used to make the Israeli government aware of Iran's nuclear program.
There is no suggestion that this intelligence was designed to harm American interests or to compromise American safety."

U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, said the allegations against AIPAC disturbed him. Cramer received $50,400 in pro-Israel contributions since 1996.

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, has received $36,500 from pro-Israel groups and individuals since 1996. Aderholt said he accepts pro-Israel contributions and supports Israel legislatively, in part, because it is the only democracy in the Middle East. Aderholt said,