It has been difficult for Republicans to rouse candidates to run for what has amounted to the biannual political slaughter otherwise known as running against Democratic Congresswoman Jane Harman.
In this year of Democratic turmoil, however, Republicans were empowered enough to stage a genuine primary contest that featured three candidates. The winner of that contest, Venice-based Mattie Fein, is running an aggressive albeit long-shot campaign to unseat the eight-term incumbent.
Harman is a moderate Democrat who has been a stalwart supporter of local defense contractors and is credited with playing a key role in keeping the L.A. Air Force Base in El Segundo. She has broad support in the South Bay and doesn’t appear to be greatly threatened by Fein. She has outraised her opponent $1.1 million to Fein’s $154,000 (of which $127,000 was self-financed), according to the most recent campaign filings, and maintains $218,000 cash-on-hand compared to Fein’s $3,329.
But Fein is a different kind of candidate than Harman has previously faced. She is a longtime GOP operative with national connections – Bush Administration UN Ambassador John Bolton made an appearance for her this week. She moved to this district specifically to take aim at Harman. Despite her relative lack of funds, she recently garnered attention with a YouTube advertisement titled “Young Mattie” that parodied the Mel Brooks film Young Frankenstein. The video attempts to financially link Harman to Iran (the ad ends with “Frau” Harman exclaiming “Ahmadinejad is my boyfriend!”).
Fein said that her campaign made the ad as means to bring attention to the campaign — particularly since Harman has been unwilling to debate, Fein said.
“We made the decision, ‘Well, if they aren’t going to talk about issues, what we’d have to do obviously is something that is very in-your-face to get them to talk about the ad that speaks of the issues,’” Fein said.
Harman was unruffled. In an interview Tuesday, she remained steadfastly above the fray. She didn’t mention her opponent by name and instead insisted on talking about her deep ties to the South Bay and her advocacy for issues that impact the local economy. Her campaign platform, she said, was simple: “Jobs, jobs, jobs.”
Harman said she had not debated Fein because she hadn’t received the customary invitation from the League of Women Voters to do so. She stressed that she wasn’t taking her reelection for granted.
“I am going to talk to you about what I stand for,” Harman said. “I have worked very hard in Congress to build a base of knowledge, and relationships in this district, that I believe have helped me represent it well. This is a very, very difficult election for incumbents, and I have tried to make sure that voters are aware I need their vote, and of my record.”
Harman has been called “GI Jane” by allies and enemies alike due to her championing of local defense contractors Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, and her expertise on national security issues. She was formerly a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and currently serves a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee and Chair of its Intelligence and Terrorism Risk Assessment subcommittee.
Fein has alleged that Harman has conflicts of interest because her husband’s company, Harman International, has benefited from military contracts either directly or through subsidiaries. Most explosively, she charges that one such company, AKG Acoustics, distributes potentially “dual use” technology in Iran.
“It would be unfair to blame someone for being wealthy,” Fein said. “And that is not what I am saying. What I am saying is there are many occasions she should have recused herself. I am not sure many voters realize there are many votes that pertain to her pocketbook. And obviously, the Iran issue is an enormous issue – you have the chair of Intelligence subcommittee of the Homeland Security Committee, who heralds sanctions against Iran and then lo and behold, she has a family business that has a direct distributor to Iran regarding possible dual use technology. This is an enormous issue. We are supposed to set the standard in the international community in terms of her so-called hawkish fight against terrorism, yet they are making money off this country.”
Harman said that the only instance in which she was required to recues herself was in a vote related to Toyota, because Harman International – known primarily for its audio systems, although the company just purchased Newsweek magazine for $1 – had a contractual relationship. She declined to comment on any of the allegations other than to say that she has made extensive filings, as required, disclosing all her finances since arriving in Congress in 1992.
Harman has never been cited for any conflict-of-interest violations in Congress.
Fein also attacked Harman on the issue of jobs. She said that Harman International had recently relocated 50 jobs from California to China. Fein said the move is contrary to Harman’s stated priorities of keeping jobs in California.
“If you are a representative and have a family business that doesn’t want to stay in California, how can support the support the positions she has been voting for?” Fein said.
Harman said she has no involvement in the management of the company and that her husband, who is 92, retired three years ago and also has no say in such decisions.
The Congresswoman said that successful job creation – particularly as regards the aerospace industry and the LA Air Force Base – has been one of her proudest accomplishments as the District 36 representative. She said a current priority is partnering on L.A. Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa’s “30-10” initiative, which seeks federal assistance to advance fund 12 mass transit projects in the next 10 years instead of the next 30 years as planned in a state transportation bond. She noted their efforts have begun to bear fruit.
“Jobs are my number one issue, and Mayor’s Villaraigosa’s 30-10 plan is my highest legislative priority,” Harman said. “I was very pleased last week the Department of Transportation gave L.A. $500 million to fund one of the 12 mass transportation projects. It will generate 5,000 jobs fairly quickly in my district and in Maxine Water’s district.”
The plan, Harman said, could eventually create 165,000 jobs in a much needed area – construction work.
“One of the biggest problems we have is a 40 percent unemployment rate among construction workers,” Harman said. “And that is why this issue is so important to me.”
