Lee Whitnum
Encyclopedia
Lee Whitnum is an American writer and politician. She is an outspoken critic of the Israeli lobby and gained notoriety on that issue in the 2010 Connecticut U.S. Senate race
as a Democrat. She also takes a hard stand against illegal and legal "white collar" immigration as a way to curtail unemployment. She sites abuses of the H1-B and L1 immigration loopholes as detrimental to the United States. by contributing to unemployment.
and attended Harvard University
to graduate with a Master's Degree (EdM.) in Administration, Planning and Social Policy. During her time as a Harvard graduate student, she was in a relationship with then-first term Senator John Kerry
. Their relationship lasted nearly two years. At the time of their relationship, she was in her late twenties and Kerry was in his mid-forties. They met in 1990, when John Kerry was no longer with his first wife, but before he met his later wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry
, in 1992.
For twelve years Whitnum worked as a contract software engineer for the United States Army concentrating in the area of Field Artillery.
Whitnum, a Protestant, lives in Greenwich, CT and is unmarried.
This nomination was won by Richard Blumenthal. Whitnum repeatedly called for Blumenthal's resignation blaming him for the AIG FP meltdown for failing to reform the Hedge Fund industry in Connecticut as he had promised. "The largest financial meltdown in United States history happened right here in Wilton, Connecticut. A mistake with such catastrophic consequence to our country cannot go rewarded." Whitnum stated in a press release that was widely reported.
In 2008, Whitnum ran for Congress in the Fourth Congressional District of Connecticut. She lost in the primary to Congressman Jim Himes. During the Channel 12 debate she said the United States should not have invaded Afghanistan.
She also challenged Himes for his attendance on the very popular AIPAC-sponsored candidate trips to Israel. She later ran a TV commercial which depicted Himes with his arm around Prime Minister Olmert pledging support for Israel in exchange for dollars reigning down. The televised campaign advertisement caused considerable controversy. Whitnum later was quoted by the Hartford Courant, "I pledge support to one country and one country only, the United States." Most Members of Congress continue to go on the popular AIPAC sponsored trips.
Whitnum did get on the ballot in the 4th Congressional District in 2008 with a petition drive.
Whitnum has brought a lawsuit against Governor Dan Malloy. While Mayor of Stamford, Malloy called a televised press conference stating that Whitnum was "anti-Semitic", "motivated by hate", and other statements which Whitnum disputed. Whitnum contended that she is "anti-AIPAC but not anti-Semitic." Whitnum originally filed suit against Malloy for slander on May 15, 2010. But she later amended her complaint to include Malloy's June 23, 2010, remarks to the Jewish Ledger
. She commends the Jewish Ledger for quoting her accurately, but condemns Malloy's "simple-minded" interpretation of her words inaccurate. "It is not about religion or race - it's about politics and foreign policy.... and people of more than one religion on all side of the issue".
Whitnum blamed Malloy's much-publicized learning disability
as the problem. "You have to be able to read to learn about AIPAC's unchecked power - it is not discussed on television." Whitnum stated in court documents, "He has staff who should check facts before he gets behind a microphone." Whitnum further accused Malloy of maligning her and her work to "pandering to a constituent group." Whitnum is the author of Anti-AIPAC Not Anti-Semitic: The Israel Lobby's Dangerous Control of Congress.
John Kerry
Whitnum first received press attention in 2004 as a former romantic interest of presidential candidate John Kerry. In 2003 Whitnum wrote Hedge Fund Mistress, a fictionalized view of life in Greenwich, Connecticut
during the "hedge fund heyday in the 90's and early 2000s". Whitnum stated in the New York Daily News
the novel contained one chapter about a senate candidate which was written before Kerry received the nomination. "There is one G-rated chapter out of 48 about a senator. His character is needed to show the insanity and motivation of a hedge fund billionaire...who exacts revenge...to the detriment of the United States." On her website Whitnum defends her choice to keep the chapter in the book despite criticism. "The chapter is G-rated and crucial to the story, it is an everywoman slice-of-life; as an artist I had to leave it in."
After Kerry's nomination in 2004 Whitnum posted a webpage Scrapbook of mementoes of her time at Harvard and on Kerry's campaign 14 years prior. Whitnum states on HedgeFundMistress.com that the webpage went viral receiving more than 600,000 hits due to Republican bloggers' attention. Whitnum said "who knew a few G-rated mementos posted in the middle of the night for friends would explode the way it did - I do apologize." At the time, 2004, Whitnum told the Washington Post that she was distressed by the attention, as it detracted from Kerry's campaign. Whitnum removed the site in 2004 but it has been cached by a Republican blogger.
United States Senate election in Connecticut, 2010
The 2010 United States Senate election in Connecticut was a midterm election which took place on November 2, 2010 to decide a Class III Senator from the State of Connecticut to join the 112th United States Congress. Incumbent Democratic U.S...
as a Democrat. She also takes a hard stand against illegal and legal "white collar" immigration as a way to curtail unemployment. She sites abuses of the H1-B and L1 immigration loopholes as detrimental to the United States. by contributing to unemployment.
Early life, education and family
Whitnum received a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science from the University of Maryland University CollegeUniversity of Maryland University College
The University of Maryland University College is located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States. Serving over 90,000 students worldwide, UMUC is the largest 4-year public university in Maryland and one of the largest distance learning...
and attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
to graduate with a Master's Degree (EdM.) in Administration, Planning and Social Policy. During her time as a Harvard graduate student, she was in a relationship with then-first term Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. Their relationship lasted nearly two years. At the time of their relationship, she was in her late twenties and Kerry was in his mid-forties. They met in 1990, when John Kerry was no longer with his first wife, but before he met his later wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry
Teresa Heinz Kerry
Maria Teresa Thierstein Simões-Ferreira Heinz , known as Teresa Heinz, is an American businesswoman and philanthropist, the widow of former U.S. Senator H. John Heinz III , and the wife of U.S...
, in 1992.
For twelve years Whitnum worked as a contract software engineer for the United States Army concentrating in the area of Field Artillery.
Whitnum, a Protestant, lives in Greenwich, CT and is unmarried.
Political career
Whitnum was a candidate for the 2010 Democratic nomination for the United States Senate from the State of Connecticut for the seat previously held by Christopher Dodd. Whitnum advocated lobby reform with a critical focus on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) stating, "AIPAC had a strong hand in pushing for the Iraq War, and AIPAC has fully infiltrated our election process, Whitnum said in a statement to the Hartford Courant. "AIPAC is the reason why senators and members of Congress consistently vote $2 billion a year to Israel -- a country that is not impoverished. We need that money here at home for our own crumbling infrastructure.This nomination was won by Richard Blumenthal. Whitnum repeatedly called for Blumenthal's resignation blaming him for the AIG FP meltdown for failing to reform the Hedge Fund industry in Connecticut as he had promised. "The largest financial meltdown in United States history happened right here in Wilton, Connecticut. A mistake with such catastrophic consequence to our country cannot go rewarded." Whitnum stated in a press release that was widely reported.
In 2008, Whitnum ran for Congress in the Fourth Congressional District of Connecticut. She lost in the primary to Congressman Jim Himes. During the Channel 12 debate she said the United States should not have invaded Afghanistan.
She also challenged Himes for his attendance on the very popular AIPAC-sponsored candidate trips to Israel. She later ran a TV commercial which depicted Himes with his arm around Prime Minister Olmert pledging support for Israel in exchange for dollars reigning down. The televised campaign advertisement caused considerable controversy. Whitnum later was quoted by the Hartford Courant, "I pledge support to one country and one country only, the United States." Most Members of Congress continue to go on the popular AIPAC sponsored trips.
Whitnum did get on the ballot in the 4th Congressional District in 2008 with a petition drive.
Whitnum has brought a lawsuit against Governor Dan Malloy. While Mayor of Stamford, Malloy called a televised press conference stating that Whitnum was "anti-Semitic", "motivated by hate", and other statements which Whitnum disputed. Whitnum contended that she is "anti-AIPAC but not anti-Semitic." Whitnum originally filed suit against Malloy for slander on May 15, 2010. But she later amended her complaint to include Malloy's June 23, 2010, remarks to the Jewish Ledger
Jewish Ledger
The Jewish Ledger is Connecticut's only weekly Jewish newspaper.It was founded in April 1929 by Samuel Neusner and Rabbi Abraham Feldman. Berthold Gaster, whose father had survived the Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps, became the newspaper's managing editor in 1958...
. She commends the Jewish Ledger for quoting her accurately, but condemns Malloy's "simple-minded" interpretation of her words inaccurate. "It is not about religion or race - it's about politics and foreign policy.... and people of more than one religion on all side of the issue".
Whitnum blamed Malloy's much-publicized learning disability
Learning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
as the problem. "You have to be able to read to learn about AIPAC's unchecked power - it is not discussed on television." Whitnum stated in court documents, "He has staff who should check facts before he gets behind a microphone." Whitnum further accused Malloy of maligning her and her work to "pandering to a constituent group." Whitnum is the author of Anti-AIPAC Not Anti-Semitic: The Israel Lobby's Dangerous Control of Congress.
John KerryJohn KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
and Hedge Fund Mistress
Whitnum first received press attention in 2004 as a former romantic interest of presidential candidate John Kerry. In 2003 Whitnum wrote Hedge Fund Mistress, a fictionalized view of life in Greenwich, ConnecticutGreenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
during the "hedge fund heyday in the 90's and early 2000s". Whitnum stated in the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
the novel contained one chapter about a senate candidate which was written before Kerry received the nomination. "There is one G-rated chapter out of 48 about a senator. His character is needed to show the insanity and motivation of a hedge fund billionaire...who exacts revenge...to the detriment of the United States." On her website Whitnum defends her choice to keep the chapter in the book despite criticism. "The chapter is G-rated and crucial to the story, it is an everywoman slice-of-life; as an artist I had to leave it in."
After Kerry's nomination in 2004 Whitnum posted a webpage Scrapbook of mementoes of her time at Harvard and on Kerry's campaign 14 years prior. Whitnum states on HedgeFundMistress.com that the webpage went viral receiving more than 600,000 hits due to Republican bloggers' attention. Whitnum said "who knew a few G-rated mementos posted in the middle of the night for friends would explode the way it did - I do apologize." At the time, 2004, Whitnum told the Washington Post that she was distressed by the attention, as it detracted from Kerry's campaign. Whitnum removed the site in 2004 but it has been cached by a Republican blogger.