Mark D. Siljander: The New Tragedy

We watch the local news every night-some at 5:00pm, some at 5:30, and others at 6. All the news that is news comes through our televisions. We cringe as we watch the crime rate soar across the country and laugh at the 'stupid criminal' who hands over his ID to a witty cashier at a convenience store that the criminal is trying to rob.

As the year progresses, we get more and more inundated with political mishaps and misgivings-especially during election years. Mud-slinging contests splatter our screens and we start to think we're watching the Baldwin-Basinger divorce proceedings. But, when something truly stellar from the political closet spills into our lives, we blink and stutter, then gather 'round the proverbial water cooler the next day to discuss what we know.

Where were you when...

The Watergate Scandal hit the airwaves?

Oliver North was tied up in the Iran-Contra affair?

Clinton...well, during Clinton's Presidency?

The Plame Affair came to light?

Mark Deli Siljander was accused of helping terrorists?

On January 16, former US Representative Mark D. Siljander was indicted on 46 counts of money laundering, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice for allegedly contributing money to a mock charity that siphoned the funds to an Al-Quida supporter.

That is a very big deal for a man who once asked an emcee at a prayer breakfast why he would read the devil's book (the Qur'an) at a prayer breakfast.

According to his wikipedia article, he describes himself as having been trained as an Evangelical Christian.

How long has Mr. Siljander, allegedly, been siphoning money to Al-Quida? If we take a look at his political history, we see that he served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, specifically the Middle East and Africa subcommittees. Perhaps it was during that time that his views of the Islamic religion began to change. Purely speculation, but sometimes, the very god one serves comes in the form of a green piece of paper.But, Siljander is far from the first politician to be indicted for serious crimes.

Recently, Vice President Dick Chenney and Chief of Staff Lewis Libby were indicted on charges that violated the 1982 Intelligence Protection Act. Allegedly, Libby, Chenney, Rove, Armitage, and other now former members of the cabinet, knowingly told reporters the classified and confidential information that Valerie E. Wilson (aka, Valerie Plame) was working in Niger on the proliferation of weapons. Former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson, Plame's husband, stated he felt the information was leaked as a way to get back at him for an article he'd sent to the New York Times. Dick Chenney denied involvement, Rove was fired, and Libby decided to take the fall.

Of course, money laundering and Agee-esque name-giving are only two scenarios which have recently plagued the American political system. If we continue back to the 1990's, during the Clinton Administration, there was a new scandal born almost daily. One such scandal was the 1996 campaign finance controversy. I'm sure that America was the laughing-stock of the world at that time. Basically, China thought that they could influence American politics prior to and during the Clinton Administration by funding campaigns and, essentially, buying off some of the people involved.

Allegedly, the People's Republic of China Embassy in Washington, D.C. was the coordination point of funding the Democratic National Party. Allegedly, the Chinese government was to fund the presidential and congressional campaigns. This seems like it would not be a huge deal-campaigns need money. However, federal law prohibits any non-American citizen or non-permanent resident to make campaign contributions. To date, 22 people have been convicted in that case. The Chinese government denies everything.

In the 80's, the Reagan Administration saw its share of trouble with the Iran-Contra Affair. Colonel Oliver North, a highly respected and decorated officer of the US Army, testified about the dealings with Iran-a known US enemy. They sold weapons to Iran, then used the money to support the Contras, the anti-Sandinistas in Nicaragua. John Poindexter, the National Security Advisor, and Oliver North were both indicted on felony charges, convicted, then had the convictions over-turned. The 80's were totally tubular and the Iran-Contra Affair is still one of the most talked about scandals...next to Watergate.

In 1972, the Watergate Hotel played host to the Presidential Scandal of the Century. Five men broke into the Democratic National Committee Headquarters there and started a scandal that wound it's way to the very top: President Richard M. Nixon. During that scandal (which started as mere wire tapping), accusations of campaign fraud, political espionage and sabotage, improper tax audits and a host of other crimes came to light. The President tried to cover it up, but failed. Nixon resigned from office in 1974 before he could be impeached.

Political scandals are nothing new to America. From the 1970's with Richard Nixon, into the '80's with the Iran-Contra Affair, the '90's with Bill Clinton's Administration, and then more recently with the Plame Affair and now Siljander. Politics are dirty. And they seem to get dirtier every year. You be the judge...and the jury.