Saddam's Democrat 'Spy' Fit to Stand Trial

A former Democrat Senate and Congressional staffer has been ruled mentally fit to stand trial for spying for Saddam Hussein.

An ex-congressional staffer busted for allegedly acting as a spy for Saddam Hussein might be a bit paranoid, but that doesn't mean she's not fit to stand trial, a shrink testified yesterday.

Psychiatrist Richard Ratner told a Manhattan federal judge that he examined Susan Lindauer several times at her request despite her previously being declared mentally incompetent by other mental-health experts.

"I concluded that she was mentally competent," Ratner said.

Lindauer, 45, is fighting to have her day in court, claiming she wants to prove that everything she did was under the supervision of US authorities.

Shocking, isn't it, that a Democrat would aid and abet the enemy?

In case you're unaware of Lindauer, here's the complaint against her from back in 2004.

A former Democratic congressional aide was arrested today on charges that she worked as an Iraqi spy. Susan Lindauer, 41, has been charged with conspiring to work with the Iraqi Intelligence Service and engaging in prohibited financial transactions with Saddam Hussein's government, according to the below indictment unsealed today by federal prosecutors in New York. Lindauer, arrested this morning at her Maryland home, allegedly met with Iraqi agents during several visits to the country's U.N. mission, where she "accepted various payments" in return "for services provided to the IIS in the course of her ongoing intelligence relationship with them." Lindauer, who also allegedly traveled to Iraq in early-2002 to meet with IIS agents, has previously worked as a press spokesperson for several elected officials, including former Senator Carol Moseley-Braun and congressmen Ron Wyden and Peter DeFazio.

The Wikipedia page for this alleged spy claims she's an anti-war activist and journalist.

Lindauer faces up to 10 years in prison on the most serious charge and five years on the lesser charge if she is convicted. Her case is currently active. At the time of this writing, after a very long period with almost no news coverage, her case may be going to court if it is determined that she is competent to stand trial.

She's also a second cousing to former Bush chief of staff Andy Card.

This NY Times article describes her as "committed yet erratic."