Source: Senate panel probing ‎possible Obama administration ties to anti-Netanyahu effort - Gil Ronen

by Gil Ronen

Both Democrats and Republicans in Subcommittee on Investigations have signed off on probe of funding for One Voice.

 

Senate building

Thinkstock

 

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has launched a bipartisan probe into an American nonprofit’s funding of efforts to oust Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, after the Obama administration’s State Department gave the nonprofit taxpayer-funded grants, FoxNews.com reported Saturday.

The source was described as having “knowledge of the panel's activities.”

Both the Democratic and the Republican sides of the subcommittee have signed off on the probe, in what could be seen as a rebuke to President Obama.

Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed in the last few days that foreign governments were funneling millions of dollars, and possibly tens of millions, into the “Anyone But Bibi” campaign that is flooding advertising space. He said he was talking about European governments, however, and mostly Scandinavian ones.

The Senate probe follows a FoxNews.com report on claims the Obama administration has been meddling in the Israeli election on behalf of groups hostile to Netanyahu.

The Senate subcommittee, which has subpoena power, is the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ chief investigative body. It has jurisdiction over all branches of government operations and compliance with laws.

A source familiar with the matter confirmed for FoxNews.com that the probe was indeed underway, and that it was bipartisan.

According to the source, the probe is looking into “funding” by OneVoice Movement – a Washington-based group that has received $350,000 in recent State Department grants, and until last November was headed by a veteran diplomat from the Clinton administrations.

A subsidiary of OneVoice is the Israel-based Victory 15 campaign, itself guided by top operatives of Obama’s White House runs, which seeks to “replace the government” of Israel.

“It’s confirmed that there is a bipartisan Permanent Subcommittee inquiry into OneVoice’s funding of V15,” the source said.

In his television interview, Netanyahu said the coalition seeking to oust him is generously funded by foreign donors who are also encouraging a high voter turnout among Israel's Arab and left-wing voters in a bid to replace the existing leadership.

An expert told FoxNews.com earlier this month the State Department indirectly funded the anti-Netanyahu campaign by providing OneVoice with the $350,000 – even though State Department officials said the funding stopped in November, ahead of the announcement of the Israeli election.


Gil Ronen

Source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/192601#.VQR_lOGzd-8

Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.