*Disclaimer: The author is writing this from the perspective of the very tired, very raw, very liberal Jew that she is. Please forgive her if her sarcasm and cynicism seems a bit, well, weary.
As Walter Dellinger said in Thursday's interview on Rachel Maddow's show, her podcast "Bagman" is the gift that keeps on giving. Revelations from that deep dive into Vice-President Spiro Agnew's demise continue to bubble up. Maddow reported on new documents from 1980 that revealed a sinister alliance between Agnew and the Saudi royal family.
Agnew wrote to the Saudis requesting an audience with the Crown Prince regarding an "emergency that is of critical importance to me." The nature of that emergency? DA JOOZ.
That's right, kids. Maddow explained, "Spiro Agnew was writing to the Saudi royal family to solicit their help, their financial support, for him to lead a scorched earth propaganda campaign in the United States to EXPOSE THE JEWS! To wage a political war on Jews in America. No, really." He was still pissed off Elliot Richardson drove him from office 7 years earlier. Nevermind that he'd been a criminal for years before that, and was continuing to commit crimes from his office as Vice President of the United States. Nah, let's blame the Jews, yo, and their impulse to support Israel, those Zionists. And who better to help him finance such a propaganda machine? The Saudis. For a measly $2 mil, Agnew figured he could pull off a real hit job on the U.S. Jewish Community in America's political support for Israel.
I am writing this letter to explain the principle reasons for my request to see you. Your highness is already familiar with the unremitting Zionist efforts to destry [sic] me. During the time I was under attack from former Attorney General Elliot Richardson in 1973, the reason for their need to drive me out was stated by Richardson several times. He said that I could not be trusted to act properly in the Middle East. Therefore I was framed and driven from office. The reason was that the Zionists in the United States knew I would never agree to the continuance of the unfair and disastrous favoring of Israel, and they had to get me out of there so I would not succeed Nixon. Since 1974, the Zionists have orchestrated a well-organized attack on me — the idea being to use lawsuits to bleed me of my resources to continue my effort to inform the American people of their control of the media and other influential secotrs [sic] of American society. I'm sure that (one of the lawsuits Agnew was dealing with) was encouraged by the Bnai Brith. In conjunction with the publication of my book, I have made numerous radio and television appearances. I've taken every opportunity to speak out against the catastrophic U.S. policies regarding Israel. This has spurred my Zionist enemies on to greater efforts. I need desperately your financial support so that I can continue to fight.
That is so sweet. You know, in an Elders of Zion kind of way.
Even more darling is that the Saudis came through for their man Agnew within a month's time. They're like, "Are you kidding me? $2 mill is pocket change to pay this chump to do our work spreading a little Jew-hate and Israel bashing for us in the United States, amirite?"
Why is Maddow relaying this new info now? It's interesting, but what's the relevance? She always has reasons. Good ones.
1. This Saudi family is the same family that is still in power now - the family that is widely thought responsible for the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.
2. There are questions about the nature of the relationship between this Saudi family and David Pecker, of the National Enquirer, who went after Jeff Bezos of The Washington Post.
3. The spawn-in-law of the Occupant of the Oval Office is also in need of some moolah, and is BFFs with the Saudi Crown Prince. (Except he is one of those Jooz, so we cannot be certain the Crown Prince doesn't have ulterior motives, here. Things are complicated.)
4. We've recently learned that the Saudi government is just DYING to develop nuclear reactors - and it isn't because they're afraid they'll run out of oil. They want their own weapons. Might it have anything to do with their proximity to Israel? And Michael Flynn, Trump's first National Security Advisor, was all too willing to facilitate their progress.
So it seems that the Saudi royal family has, for decades now, been using powerful members of American government and society to bolster and coordinate campaigns of anti-Semitism in the U.S. and against Israel.
Leaving aside, for the moment, the awful racism and brutality of the recent and current Israeli administration...I cannot begin to tell you how many conservative Republican Christians place their arms around our shoulders, proclaiming their love for Israel, pretending to be our friends. I CAN tell you, though, it is not because they give a good goddamn about the welfare of Jews.
