THE HILL NEWSPAPER printed a letter last week from Raeed Tayeh, communications director for Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, D-Georgia, blasting some Jewish members of Congress who had attacked President Bush’s views on Palestinian statehood in a prior issue.

It was "disturbing that the members seem to care more about Israel than human rights and American values," Tayeh began.

Tayeh analyzed the issues and concluded it was "even more disturbing" that "many of these pro-Israeli lawmakers sit on the House International Relations Committee despite the obvious conflict of interest that their emotional attachments to Israel cause. The Israeli occupation of all territories must end, including Congress," he wrote.

A few hours later, McKinney sent ‘An Open Letter’ to colleagues saying: "Today, I accepted his resignation." Tayeh had been on the staff "for only two months and may not have realized that his comments might be perceived to be an official statement," she said.

McKinney said there were "comments" in his letter — she didn’t say which — "that do not reflect my thoughts and position," and she wanted to let her staff know that "I have no tolerance for unauthorized statement."

According to the Washington Post, who reported on the incident, when the "pro-Israel members and Jewish groups" learned of their victory (in forcing Tayeh’s resignation), they "lunged for the fax machines."

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Dog chow, anyone?

"AT A PRESS BRIEFING in late October, Maj. Gen. John Parker, the commanding general of the Army’s medical research for infectious diseases program, said the scientist who first examined a letter to the New York Post observed that the anthrax spores inside ‘looked like Purina Dog Chow,’ brown and clumpy, which made analysis difficult. Speculation was the letter may have gotten wet," notes In The Loop columnist Al Kamen, in the Washington Post.

"Since then, a Nexis search reveals at least 50 references in major media outlets tying the estimable and, according to our pooch, most delicious dog food, to the deadly bacteria. The folks at Ralston Purina were not amused."

So when another Post journalist repeated the reference in an article last week and later told Army folks he might return to the topic this week, he got a special email from a Pentagon spokesman.

"Col. Erik Henchal forwarded your note to me regarding possibly running another version of your story. Is there any chance you could leave out the Purina Dog Chow reference? Gen. Parker wrote a letter of apology to Ralston Purina after he inadvertently used that comparison in a White House press briefing. Ralston Purina was very sensitive about having their product named in this comparison. Gen. Parker has very carefully avoided saying it again."

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Monica’s nemesis facing foreclosure

MONICA LEWINSKY’S nemesis is facing foreclosure on the Maryland home where she recorded telephone calls with the White House intern that led to the impeachment of President Clinton.

CitiMortgage Inc. filed a foreclosure action against Linda Tripp last month, noting a mortgage balance of just under $117,000, including late charges and interest.

Attorney Joseph Murtha said Mrs. Tripp has not lived in the house for months and has been out of work since she was fired from her Pentagon job.

Mrs. Tripp now lives in a bigger house in the fashionable horse country of Middleburg, Virginia. Her attorney said she had hoped to find another government job but has not been rehired.