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Morris Talansky. Tears flowed.
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| By Israel Insider staff May 27, 2008 |
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American businessman Morris Talansky, the star witness in the recent police probe of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, set the Israeli political atwitter when he showed up at the Jerusalem District Court Tuesday morning to give his pre-trial deposition in what is shaping up to be a bribery and betrayal-of-trust case of the State of Israel against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his cronies.
Talansky's deposition -- which will be considered as trial testimony should an indictment be filed and the case goes to court -- was delviered in English before a three-judge panel, presided over by District Court Chief Justice Mosia Arad and the honorable Jacob Zaban and Moshe Sobel. The hearing went on for eight hours, beginning at 9 am and ending at 5 pm, with an hour break for lunch.
Talansky began by recalling his first encounters with Olmert when he was raising funds for the Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center and ABC protective gear during the Gulf War and Olmert was serving as health minister. "We became close. I learned that he wanted to run for mayor of Jerusalem, that he believed in a strong, united city? I had a great admiration for him. We used to call him 'the prince of the Likud.' I truly loved him."
"The most important thing for me was the unity of Jerusalem. Olmert was a friend. I can't put into words what that friendship meant to me," he told the court. When Olmert approach him as a potential backer for a mayoral run, Talansky stepped up to the plate: "I said I would help him. I asked him why I couldn't just write him a check and he said it was because of the way the money was routed. So I gave him cash. I used to cash in (donation) checks and give it to him."
"I never expected anything personally. I never had any personal benefits from this relationship whatsoever," he assured the court. "It never even occurred to me that I would have any personal stake. I kept funneling funds through (Olmert's former bureau chief) Shula Zaken until 2005, including when he was minister of trade, industry and labor."
Lador then asked Talansky to explain how the money changed hands. "I gave it to Shula Zaken, but I remember he (Olmert) was with her at least once. I gave them the money in envelops, but no more than $8,000 or $9,000. Back in the States I also gave him money directly," he replied. The state prosecutor then offered into evidence a log, seized from Zaken's office, which contained records of transactions amounting to $72,000.
"Olmert called and told me he needed a lot of money for the primaries. When I asked who much and he told me I was shocked," he told the court. "I got somewhere between $68,000 to $70,000 and gave it to him. I believe it was the last time I gave him money."
When asked if he had knew what Olmert was using the money for, he answered: "Shula always said he had expenses? Olmert said the funds were used for the primaries. He explained that it was just like when you run for elections, that you need (to pay for) flyers, posters, campaign staff etc. When he traveled, they would only give him business class seats and not first class seats. I know some of the money was spent on that. I know some went to but cigars. He likes expensive cigars, expensive pens."
Talansky also confirmed that he paid for Olmert's stay at the Ritz Carlton in Washington. "The bill included the stay, room service, movie rentals and so forth? the bill came to a little over $5,000," he said. Talansky answered that he had no business connection with Olmert's visit.
Olmert, he added, "also received a $30,000 loan for a family vacation in Italy. But never repaid it." The prime minister, then asked for a separate, $15,000 loan on one of his stays in New York: "I went to a bank near the hotel and made a withdrawal. I gave him the money in an envelope because it was a sizeable amount."
Lador also offered into evidence documentation suggesting Talansky covered some of Olmert's debt to an association which backed his run for Jerusalem mayorship in 1999. The debt ran to about $300,000.
More documents presented to the court told of two other money transfers made from Talansky to Uri Messer, for another $300,000. Talansky said he was indeed approached by Messer about yet another loan when the latter was in the States, but insisted he denied the request. He did, however, underwrote the substantial loan.
Talansky said he had grown disillusioned with the leader in recent years. Olmert had the "ability to reach out to the American people, the largest and richest community of Jews in the world," Talansky said. "That's why I supported the man. That's why I overlooked, frankly and honestly, a lot of things. I overlooked them, maybe I shouldn't have."
When discussing additional testimony -- which might keep him from returning to the US, Talansky burst into tears. "I have to get back to my wife," he wept, "she's ill." |
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