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Harry Reid staffer accused of faking marriage to get friend green card

By Delen Goldberg

Published Monday, Oct. 25, 2010 | 7:08 p.m.

Updated Monday, Oct. 25, 2010 | 7:37 p.m.

A former spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid lied to the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to cover up a sham marriage she entered into with a college friend, according to Fox News.

Diana Tejada worked until recently as Reid's Hispanic press secretary but no longer works for the senator, a spokesman said. He would not say when she left the job.

Tejada faces no criminal charges but was accused of marrying Bassam Mahmoud Tarhini in 2003 so he could obtain permanent U.S. residency, Fox reported. Tejada reportedly received payment in exchange.

The two met in 2000 when Tarhini entered the U.S. on a student visa to attend Oklahoma City University, where Tejada was also a student.

"Our office was not previously aware of these allegations and, following an internal investigation, the staffer at issue is no longer with our office," Reid spokesman Jim Manley said in a written statement provided to the Sun. "The conduct alleged, which took place several years before the staffer worked for Senator Reid, was clearly wrong. But the bottom line remains that this story was a desperation measure by partisan Republicans, who have stooped to slinging mud about junior staffers to score points in the waning days of her campaign."

Fox reported that Tarhini was interviewed in 2009 by FBI agents who sources say asked about his ties to extremists groups. Some sources said they determined he did not have ties to any terror group, but other sources close to the case said that could not be ruled out, according to Fox.

Discussion: 65 comments so far...

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  1. By HunterMG (Mark Hunter)
    Oct. 25, 2010
    9:23 p.m.
    Flag

    Um, who cares? Until they can say the Redi actually knew about this, it's not much of a story.

  2. By sunnysideup (Jeff Jameson)
    Oct. 25, 2010
    9:26 p.m.
    Flag

    "...according to Fox News."

    Need I say more?

    In other news, martians have invaded the Earth.

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

  3. By ksand99 (Kevin Sandoval)
    Oct. 25, 2010
    9:43 p.m.
    Flag

    If the dirty republican tricksters want to hold Harry responsible for the actions of a junior staffer who was never charged with wrongdoing, then they'd be absolute hypocrites to ignore Angle's deputy campaign manager, who is accused of betraying and sabotaging his former employer:

    http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/nevada-...

    What a tangled web you weave when first you practice to deceive?

  4. By lovestohike
    Oct. 25, 2010
    9:53 p.m.
    Flag

    Harry Reid prioritizes illegals; dumps on seniors (slashes Medicaid; gives no cost of living); and his aides do illegal acts. He lies so much - and now we find out his aid was a shameful liar. He should have been able to figure and disclose this one by himself. But the pompous Reid does not manage his aids well. Its just like the job market and his bad bills; his health bill which hurt seniors and has caused an increase in health premiums. Harry is an idiot.

    Harry Should be held responsible for his bad management, his lack of disclosure; and his bad judgment in choosing aides who manipulated the system.

    Dump Harry and prosecute his aid.

  5. By HunterMG (Mark Hunter)
    Oct. 25, 2010
    10:36 p.m.
    Flag

    @lovestohike -

    But I bet you want Jon Ensign as a Senator still, don't you? C'mon! You can admit it!

  6. By lovestohike
    Oct. 25, 2010
    11:11 p.m.
    Flag

    Obviously Harry had something to do with it....and obviously his boss Nobama, who cannot even produce a birth certificate, did too.

    If you are an American citizen, you are being stomped on by Reid and his gang....that is why they are introducing bills to have illegals vote....

    So its part of their scheme to hurt all of us who were born in America, who worked hard, who thought we would not be taxed to death (note: The Dems have put back the Death Tax and Death Panels, and slashed Medicaid...They hope seniors die sooner given some of their policies; and they have prioritized illegals as they know it is the only way to preserve their power.

    Dump Reid - and his anti-job ways; his refusal to diversity the economy. And now this - he knew and we all know he knew - that is why he is always issuing pro-illegal criminal acts; that is why the Dems filed suit against Arizona instead of protecting US citizens who live along the Mexican border....That is why Reid is allowing illegals to steal jobs from American citizens...

    Dump Reid - the man looks feeble, ill - and may not make it through another term. Perhaps if he were to retire he could enjoy retirement for many years to come.

  7. By gmag39
    Oct. 26, 2010
    6:03 a.m.
    Flag

    lovestohike...
    you are a poster child for Hate-Speaking, Right-Wing NutJobs...
    Are you for real??? SERIOUSLY???

    You meant that tongue in cheek, right???

  8. By ColinFromLasVegas
    Oct. 26, 2010
    6:52 a.m.
    Flag

    "Fox reported that Tarhini was interviewed in 2009 by FBI agents who sources say asked about his ties to extremists groups. Some sources said they determined he did not have ties to any terror group, but other sources close to the case said that could not be ruled out, according to Fox."

    People need to wake up about Fox PORNO (Political Organization-Republican News Only) News.

    Look at the above paragraph. Which I imagine is straight from Fox. In the first sentence, it has that Fox slant. Look for "...who sources say...." Look in the second sentence which starts with "Some sources said..." and in the middle of the sentence "...but other sources..." and ending with "...according to Fox."

    Let me give you a hint. When they use that verbage, it means that none of this stuff has been proven. They are throwing out an opinion. To cast a light on this to fit their agenda. By wording it like this, they mean to fool people into thinking it's true, but somehow, by their vague wording, they intend to keep ethically correct, but STILL throw that anti-everything-Democratic-Party point of view.

    People need to understand this type of reporting is why Fox WASP (We Always Scare People) News year after year does not receive any type of award. And if they do win any awards, it will only be the coveted "Knucklehead of the Night" Award. They go for viewership only. Facts are not important to them. Facts are just to be manipulated.

    And if you pay attention, you see the newscasters on Fox News are not held to any standards at all. They say something wrong and/or blatantly harmful, they may or may not apologize. And if they do apologize, it's usually a lame half hearted attempt. And the most startling thing is...THEY GET TO KEEP THEIR JOBS! Any other news show, if someone says something incredibly stupid, harmful and/or racist, they are gone like a Greyhound bus down the road. But not Fox News people. They just continue to work and spew out more crap.

    Year after year, their viewers are dwindling. And their advertisers jump ship frequently. Because they know that they push an agenda that does not help them advertise. As a matter of fact, it may hinder their sales.

    Eventually, Fox News will sink like the TITANIC.

    This piece of news is just another example of their blatant propaganda they pursue ever second of the day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year after year.

  9. By CliffHarrison (Cliff Harrison)
    Oct. 27, 2010
    5:05 a.m.
    Flag

    Reid's done!

  10. By AmericanMan
    Oct. 27, 2010
    6:53 a.m.
    Flag

    Death Panels!?!??! Don't tell me you're back on that KNOWN lie! And the "Death Tax"... Is is possible you're referring to the Estate Tax? The one that has a base exemption of $3.5 Million before it kicks in? Yes, it was zero, but that's the temporary rate that the Bush administration put in place to give his "supporters", otherwise known as "The Elite", enormous tax breaks at the expense of the working class who don't have estates large enough to even worry about the estate tax.

    And as for Senator Reid being anti-jobs, haven't you read any of the stories in the newspaper or have you just made up your mind despite what the facts say? This seems to be the favored tactic of the anti-Read group. Totally ignore all the good that Senator Reid has done for the state of Nevada an believe any and all lies that come from unknown sources.

    Are there any convicted sex offenders here that have received free Viagra from the government?

    Any...? Any at all...? No? Huh, imagine that.

    Try having a big bowl of FACTS for breakfast.

  11. By Uhave2laff (Marla Turner)
    Oct. 27, 2010
    12:01 p.m.
    Flag

    Yawn. Who cares? Let's talk jobs and the economy. That's a topic Harry has something to do with. And thank God for that. Vote for Angle and you'll need that health care reform bill he helped pass to go get your head examined.

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