Harman hires Lanny Davis to feed the ‘beast’

Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) has hired Lanny Davis to help her deal with the fallout from her involvement in an espionage scandal, she confirmed in a statement Wednesday.

First reported by The Cable, a blog on Foreign Policy’s website, late Tuesday night, Davis has tapped by Harman to deal with a spiraling media storm that involves her allegedly being wiretapped by federal authorities while in talks with an Israeli operative.

“My day job, road races and family leave me too little time to feed the insatiable beast (the press). Lanny is an old and trusted friend who has expertise in getting the facts out,” Harman said in a statement.

Davis was a vocal supporter of then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) during the Democratic 2008 presidential primary race against President Barack Obama. He also was special counsel for President Bill Clinton during his impeachment.

Harman’s discussion reportedly was about how she could use her clout with the Justice Department in the House to help lobbyists for AIPAC, a pro-Israel group, that were caught up in espionage charges. In return, AIPAC would push for her to take over the House Intelligence Committee with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) when the Democrats won Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections. Harman has denied any deal was struck.

– Kevin Bogardus