Disappeared News: Whistleblower’s deposition reveals bribery, espionage, alleged links between Congress and Turkish interests

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Whistleblower’s deposition reveals bribery, espionage, alleged links between Congress and Turkish interests

by Larry Geller

If you regularly watch Democracy Now, you’re familiar with the struggle of whistleblower Sibel Edmonds to make her information public despite government gag orders. From Democracy Now, August 10, 2005 (yes, four years ago):

Did Speaker Hastert Accept Turkish Bribes to Deny Armenian Genocide and Approve Weapons Sales?

Former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds is accusing the FBI of covering up improper contacts and financial dealings between certain Turkish nationals and the office of House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Finally, Edmonds has been able to talk. She was called to give a deposition, and the feds never showed up to object.

Brad Friedman has done an excellent job of coving the story, with someone on the ground outside the room where the depo is being taken liveblogging the action. I can give you some snippets, but best thing is, of course, to click on over to BradBlog and absorb the implications of her revelations yourself. Brad indicates that videos or text may be forthcoming. Certain members of Congress should quake. Here are the snippets:

There are current members of Congress that she has implicated in bribery, espionage. It's not good. It's crazy, it's absolutely crazy. For people in power situations in the United States, who know about this information, if they don't take action against it, in my opinion, it's negligence.

…

[Dan] Burton (R-IN), described as basically accepting bribes and involved in espionage for the Turkish government...she could not discuss the extremely illegal activities that Mr. Burton committed against U.S. interests, as she put it.
Also, a current female ~~Democratic~~ [ed note: I misheard, he later said he didn't know if she was Dem or Rep] member of Congress who has been blackmailed by the Turkish Government...called a 'hooking exercise'...she's apparently bi-sexual and they bugged her apartment, she's married with children, and they set up a relationship with another female who went in and had sexual relationships with her. And they had all the episodes bugged within this current Representatives home and they blackmailed her. ... She wouldn't give her name, but her photograph [is the one with the question mark on it in the "Sibel Edmonds Rogue Gallery" ]

That’s the hottest thing on the blog so far. Not that accusations of bribery are not hot. It will be interesting to see if anyone is investigated and prosecuted.