Biden, lawmakers to appear at AIPAC
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 05/02/09 04:00 PM [ET]
Vice President Joe Biden will speak at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual policy conference, which begins Sunday at the Washington Convention Center.

Biden is one of several high-ranking government leaders scheduled to appear at AIPAC’s three-day conference, held amidst scrutiny over the group’s influence in Washington in the wake of two recent controversies.

Most recent are allegations that Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), a former ranking Democrat on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, promised to help two former AIPAC employees accused of disclosing U.S. defense secrets.

Harman was overheard on calls intercepted by the National Security Agency pledging to aid the accused pair.

Prosecutors moved Friday to dismiss all charges against Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman, former members of AIPAC, but an ethics cloud still hangs over Harman. She chairs the Homeland Security panel’s intelligence subcommittee.

AIPAC has emphasized that the leaking of secrets had no link to their organization.

And the recent controversy has not caused Harman to shy away from the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group.

She is scheduled to participate at the three-day conference during a Sunday morning panel discussion with former CIA director James Woolsey.

The second-ranking Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate and House are also scheduled to speak.

Sens. Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Jon Kyl (Ari.), the Senate Democratic and Republican Whips, will address the gala banquet on Monday evening.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) are also featured guests that evening, which is expected to draw more than half the membership of the Senate and the House.

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