Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, left, is shown meeting with President Bush at the White House on Nov. 26, 2007.
Ehud Olmert received hundreds of thousands of dollars from U.S. supporters between 1993 and 2006, when he was mayor of Jerusa-
lem and then minister of trade, industry and labor. Some of the money was in cash, from U.S. businessman Morris Talansky. Talansky also
raised funds for the New Jerusalem Foundation, which is associated with Olmert and funds civic projects in Jerusalem.
Law
Possible Violation
Defense
In 1993, when Olmert ran for mayor of
Jerusalem, there was no campaign con-
tribution limit. In 1998, individuals could
contribute a maximum of about $285,
and Olmert's Likud party could raise a
maximum of about $1 million.
The Likud party's spending in 1998 went
roughly $500,000 over the limit. Police
are investigating whether Talasnky pro-
vided the extra money to cover the deficit.
The Likud was fined for the overspending
offense. Olmert denies raising unreported
money from Talansky.
While there is no limit to donations more
than nine months before a primary cam-
paign, within nine months of a primary
election individuals may donate only up to
about $11,000.
Contributions to Olmert may have violated
campaign finance laws.
Olmert says the money he accepted from
Talansky did not violate campaign laws.
Cap on overall money for a candidate
in a primary race depends on the party's
size: Candidates for parties with more
than 5,000 electors may raise up to about
$570,000.
Contributions to Olmert may have
exceeded this amount. Even if Olmert
did not seek any favors for Talansky, the
contribution would be considered a bribe
under Israeli law if it constituted a "large
sum" and went unreported.
Olmert says the contributions did not ex-
ceed campaign limits and that he reported
all contributions to his campaigns.
Contributions may not go toward personal
use.
Contributions may not have been used
for campaign, but to curry favors — i.e.,
bribes. This is why Israeli police ques-
tioned Talansky, Sheldon Adelson and S.
Daniel Abraham about whether Olmert
pressed for favors for Talansky.
Olmert and Talansky maintain there was
no quid pro quo — Olmert did not seek
any favors for Talansky.
Contributions must be accounted for
properly.
Contributions were made in cash and may Talansky said some contributions were
not all have been accounted for properly.
in cash because he had no Israeli bank
account.
Loophole
Unlimited money can be donated to NGOs that support ideological agendas (e.g. Greater Israel) but do not explicitly endorse a given
candidate (like 527s in US).
Other Olmert Probes
• Police have investigated whether Olmert bought a Jerusalem apartment in 2004 at a below-market price in exchange for helping the
development company that was renovating the building get city permits.
• Police have investigated whether Olmert, as finance minister, influenced tenders for the sale of a controlling stake in Bank Leumi in
2005.
A20
August 7 • 2008
iN
Ron Kampeas
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Washington
ir
he day after Ehud Olmert buried his own political
career last week, he announced plans to commemo-
rate Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the ideological proponent of
Greater Israel whose vision Olmert has done much to bury.
It was an odd closing of a circle: Olmert's signature
achievement may be how he guided his nation away from
Jabotinsky's vision of an Israel spanning the "river to the
see the Jordan to the Mediterranean.
His signature failure may be how the allegations of person-
al corruption that ended his career exemplified the Jewish
state's departure from the lean, ethical Zionism espoused by
Jabotinsky.
Left unanswered is how Olmert's departure affects the
prospects for peace with Syria and the Palestinians, his sig-
nature projects or his efforts to isolate Iran.
Olmert's career at first typefied those of many other scions
of the families who believed Jabotinsky's grand vision one
day would be vindicated, waiting patiently for the implosion
of a Labor Party bloated with patronage.
In the 1950s, Olmert's father, Mordechai, had been a
Knesset member for Herut, Likud's predecessor, during its
lonely decades as a struggling opposition party. Ehud Olmert
won election to the Knesset at the tender age of 28, in 1973,
when the Likud won enough seats to form a viable opposi-
tion. Four years later, it won the government outright.
Olmert during his first years in government was a strident
advocate of Jewish settlement expansion. As a member of