Louisiana congressman indicted in bribery probe

[zimv20]

AP (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/04/jefferson.probe.ap/index.html)


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, was indicted Monday on federal charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering in a long-running bribery investigation into business deals he tried to broker in Africa.

The indictment handed up in federal court in Alexandria., Virginia, Monday is 94 pages long and lists 16 alleged violations of federal law that could keep Jefferson in prison for up to 235 years, according to a Justice Department official who has seen the document.

Among the charges listed in the indictment, said the official, are racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money-laundering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.(Read the indictment [PDF])

Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes for himself and his family, and also for bribing a Nigerian official.

Almost two years ago, in August 2005, investigators raided Jefferson's home in Louisiana and found $90,000 in cash stuffed into a box in his freezer.

Jefferson, 63, whose Louisiana district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case publicly but has maintained his innocence. He was re-elected last year despite the looming investigation.

(more)

finally, indictments.

[leekohler]

Wow- 235 years. That's a long time to sit and think about what a scum you are. :)

[clevin]

and LA ppl still elected him? thats a shocker.

[Swarmlord]

They have a strong case against him and I think he'll have a long time to contemplate what he did. I hope that the Congressional leadership does the right thing according to their rules without regard to his party affliation. Anyone involved in something like this whether Duke Cunningham or this guy should be prosecuted to the extent of the law. I hope it sends a strong signal to those tempted to take money in exchange for influence.

[Desertrat]

It's sorta hard to come up with a good story about why you had $90,000 in your freezer, isn't it? :D That's cold, hard cash, for sure...

Louisiana in general, and N'yawlins in particular, has long been noted as among the best at voting for ever more corruption. Neck and neck, I guess, in a race with Chicago. Jefferson re-elected; same for Schoolbus Nagin. Lots of $20/per-each voters went from polling place to polling place to get Landrieux elected as one of the senators...

'Rat

[Roger1]

It's sorta hard to come up with a good story about why you had $90,000 in your freezer, isn't it? :D That's cold, hard cash, for sure..

'Rat

Nah, it's his. It's just that he doesn't trust banks or anything.

:D

[Dont Hurt Me]

You would think one of his republican buddy's would have shown him a better way to hide that $$$. Maybe he was talking with Duke Cunningham?

[Thomas Veil]

I'll be glad to see this bozo go to prison.

[Swarmlord]

You would think one of his republican buddy's would have shown him a better way to hide that $$$. Maybe he was talking with Duke Cunningham?

Actually, Duke's problem was that he didn't bother hiding it at all. Having lived in his district a few years ago, I can assure you that many of us wondered out loud how he swung that house deal based on the prices in the area.

[Desertrat]

Dumb to take a cash payoff. A halfway-smart Republican could have shown him how to get an interest-free loan, or a loan that's never called. And, there's always the "consulting fee" that leads to a share in a shopping center or some construction project. This latter stuff was Bedroom Ben Barnes' style, but he was pretty smart that way, for a Democrat. :D

But, party has zilch to do with it. Some of the corwd, like Ron Paul, are probably too honest for their own good. Others take advantage of every manipulation they can find. Teddy K's Washington, D.C. real estate holdings (in the name of family trust, of course) probably wouldn't let him survive a good paper-trail audit. It's amazing what can happen with GSA surplus property sales...

'Rat

[Daveway]

Being a resident of the New Orleans area I can attest to the large amounts of illegal activity that politicians have been committing. Voting season was really interesting because Jefferson was running ads to tell people "ignore the allegations, they are false and slanderous." C'mon.

Old Louisiana politics are corrupt and finally being swept out. I'm excited about the new blood coming in.

[solvs]

Finally, something we can all agree on. Hopefully we remember this the next time it's a Republican or a Democrat. Corruption is corruption. If the Dems defended him the way the Reps still defend their crooked cohorts, I'd be just as pissed and would hope the rest of you feel the same. Especially after all of that culture of corruption stuff.

But why do I have the sneaking suspicion that even though none of us are defending him, we're still going to be accused of being partisans while he's being used as an excuse for the next neocon who gets caught, as if it's any defense.

[Swarmlord]

Finally, something we can all agree on. Hopefully we remember this the next time it's a Republican or a Democrat. Corruption is corruption. <snip>.

Agreed.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Its a sad statement when they reelected this crook, hard to say who is worse the people of louisiana or this politician crook. Both need a swift kick in their......

[SMM]

They have a strong case against him and I think he'll have a long time to contemplate what he did. I hope that the Congressional leadership does the right thing according to their rules without regard to his party affliation. Anyone involved in something like this whether Duke Cunningham or this guy should be prosecuted to the extent of the law. I hope it sends a strong signal to those tempted to take money in exchange for influence.

Well, it was bound the happen at some point - I agree with you. Dishonest leaders are just that. It transcends party lines and the level of government involved. Maybe he and Scooter can be roommates?

[skunk]

I'm just amazed at how petty this case is: $90,000? That's barely enough for a good meal around here.

[Lyle]

I'm just amazed at how petty this case is: $90,000? That's barely enough for a good meal around here.$90,000 is just the amount that he happened to have stashed in his freezer. That's just the tip of the iceberg. See the story that zimv20 linked for a summary of the charges listed in the indictment.

[Ugg]

I'm just amazed at how petty this case is: $90,000? That's barely enough for a good meal around here.

You have all those Russian oligarchs to thank for that!

[zimv20]

I'm just amazed at how petty this case is: $90,000? That's barely enough for a good meal around here.

here's the things that gets me: jefferson has some pretty serious charges levied against him, but imo those charges pale in comparison to outing a CIA agent (for political gain, no less), which could be construed as treason.

but libby is facing jail time that is on the order of one-hundreth of the sentence being bandied about for jefferson. wtf?

[ham_man]

here's the things that gets me: jefferson has some pretty serious charges levied against him, but imo those charges pale in comparison to outing a CIA agent (for political gain, no less), which could be construed as treason.

but libby is facing jail time that is on the order of one-hundreth of the sentence being bandied about for jefferson. wtf?
What Jefferson did is indisputed and clear cut and indisputable; you can't just explain away $90,000 stashed in your freezer.

The Libby case was decidely more murky and engaged a number of people who may or may not have done certain things and Libby's alleged crime was simply not provable in a court of law. The only thing that they could get him on was perjery and obstruction of justice and his sentence (30 months) fits the bill for the crimes of which he was convicted.

[zimv20]

yeah, yeah, i get what libby was actually convicted for. but come on, we all know the truth: plame was outed for political gain, cheney/rove were behind it, and libby made it happen. yeah, in a conspiracy like that -- especially w/ an uncooperative whitehouse -- it's pretty darn hard to nail down anything definitively.

but we know what happened.

[hulugu]

But why do I have the sneaking suspicion that even though none of us are defending him, we're still going to be accused of being partisans while he's being used as an excuse for the next neocon who gets caught, as if it's any defense.

It's funny I was thinking the same thing. Have to keep this thread handy.

[solvs]

Agreed.

I'll remember that the next time it's a Republican.

BTW:

Now we know what it takes for the federal gov to pay some attention to a black man from New Orleans.
:D

Edit: Anyone see how Fox accidentally put up a pic of the wrong Congressman, John Conyers (http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/014462.php), instead of this knucklehead? At least they apologized this time. Kinda.

[Desertrat]

I seriously doubt he'll not do time:

"Two of Jefferson's associates have already struck plea bargains with prosecutors and have been sentenced.

Brett Pfeffer, a former congressional aide, admitted soliciting bribes on Jefferson's behalf and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

Another Jefferson associate, Louisville, Kentucky, telecommunications executive Vernon Jackson, pleaded guilty to paying between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes to Jefferson in exchange for his assistance securing business deals in Nigeria and other African nations. Jackson was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Both Pfeffer and Jackson agreed to cooperate in the case against Jefferson in exchanges for their pleas."

'Rat

[Swarmlord]

here's the things that gets me: jefferson has some pretty serious charges levied against him, but imo those charges pale in comparison to outing a CIA agent (for political gain, no less), which could be construed as treason.

but libby is facing jail time that is on the order of one-hundreth of the sentence being bandied about for jefferson. wtf?

Because he was convicted of perjury, not outing a CIA agent. Someone else perjured himself some 8 years ago or so but didn't serve any jail time at all, but his name eludes me at the moment...:rolleyes:

[Swarmlord]

I'll remember that the next time it's a Republican.

<snip>.

I was all over Duke Cunningham like green on grass for the record.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Corporations own them all, who do the people have? anyone? how many Millions does it take to campaign? 1 bilion? Its make beleive for the voter.

[ham_man]

Corporations own them all, who do the people have? anyone? how many Millions does it take to campaign? 1 bilion? Its make beleive for the voter.
You speak with a sort of nostalgia that seems to imply that there was once a time when a candidate could be successful based entirely on his or her own merits as a politician and human being...

[solvs]

Someone else perjured himself some 8 years ago or so but didn't serve any jail time at all, but his name eludes me at the moment...:rolleyes:
Took you long enough. But didn't he get fined, lose his law license, and almost get impeached? Er, also, the circumstances were a bit different, no? To think, I used to be upset about that too.

You speak with a sort of nostalgia that seems to imply that there was once a time when a candidate could be successful based entirely on his or her own merits as a politician and human being...
Well, he did vote for GW.

Uh, but I guess that didn't work out so well. :o

[mactastic]

Good deal. Now if only the CBC would stop mollycoddling this joker and lets get his ass out of Congress.

The irony is in the outrage from the minority side of the aisle, demanding that Democrats do things they refused to do to their indicted members. Funny how the right always has it's outrage on for a Democrat, but seems to misplace it when a DeLay or an Abramoff gets indicted...

[Desertrat]

No, mac, it's nada to do with the side of the aisle. It's the charges. I don't see how anybody would defend Abramoff's dealings. DeLay's deal still sounds like a bunch of weird law that could be interpreted in many different ways, and it's obvious that were DeLay not a Republican, Ronnie Earle would not have brought the charges. Texas politics, is all.

'Rat

[mactastic]

No, mac, it's nada to do with the side of the aisle. It's the charges. I don't see how anybody would defend Abramoff's dealings. DeLay's deal still sounds like a bunch of weird law that could be interpreted in many different ways, and it's obvious that were DeLay not a Republican, Ronnie Earle would not have brought the charges. Texas politics, is all.

'Rat

And if Bill Clinton weren't a Democrat, Ken Starr wouldn't have brought charges. What's your point? DeLay is a dirty politician, he got caught. Now he doesn't want to pay the piper. I suppose he's looking for the "Paris deal".

[Desertrat]

My point is that in our efforts to create purity, we've passed laws that are unduly complex and subject to individual interpretation on the part of prosecutors.

One of the inherent problems with the growth of any central government is that its controls affect ever more groups of interests. It therefore becomes ever more important for people to lobby in favor of, or against, proposed law and regulation. This inevitably leads to corruption as people seek means of influence. That corruption then leads to more laws in an effort to stop that particular form. The next step is to find another way to influence. That then leads...and on and on as we have seen over these last decades.

We've reached the point where the hundreds of feet of shelf space of books of law are beyond the understanding of anybody not involved in knowledge of them as their full-time job. And even those people screw up.

We recently had a brouhaha in the small city of Alpine, Texas, over the Texas Open Meetings Act. The state's attorney general could not give a ruling that seemed to pertain, when the issue first arose. The local DA sought and got indictiments for emails he said were violations of the Act. The district court judge finally threw the whole deal out because it was unclear whether or not the law actually applied to the alleged "evil". What came clear after everything was made public was that two or three honest people had endured hassle and expense because they were trying to do a good job as council folks. Prosecutorial vendetta...

Ronnie Earle has a track record of political vendettas. So sitting in California, you should hold your water about DeLay. You don't know the situation and are talking about things for which you don't have adequate knowledge of the players. You're judging from an emotional political position, not from knowledge.

'Rat

[mactastic]

Ronnie Earle has a track record of political vendettas. So sitting in California, you should hold your water about DeLay. You don't know the situation and are talking about things for which you don't have adequate knowledge of the players. You're judging from an emotional political position, not from knowledge.

'Rat
Now, now 'Rat. That sounds like one of those personal attacks you were just mewling about earlier... Somehow I doubt our good friend Obeygiant will be by to shed any tears about how unfair it all is though.

Perhaps you should not comment about the good Congressman from California, Henry Waxman. Perhaps you should keep your bile regarding Senator Feinswine, as I believe you have referred to her before, to yourself? I mean, you live in Texas, therefore you are speaking of things for which you have inadequate knowledge of the players, yes? Yeah, I didn't think that would stop you.

Quit the patronizing "Daddy" crap. I know enough about Texas politics to know that DeLay was at least real close to the legal line, if not well over it, despite your protestations to the contrary.

And I know enough about Fred Thompson to know that he voted to convict Bill Clinton for perjury and is currently running around saying he would pardon Scooter Libby of his conviction for perjury. Doesn't sound like much of a principled man to me.

[IJ Reilly]

On the radio this morning, I heard that the FBI had frozen Jefferson's assets. Aren't they a little too late?

[mactastic]

On the radio this morning, I heard that the FBI had frozen Jefferson's assets. Aren't they a little too late?
Buh-dum-CHING!

[Swarmlord]

On the radio this morning, I heard that the FBI had frozen Jefferson's assets. Aren't they a little too late?

I'd be interested in the details of his assets. We've heard about the $90K in the freezer, but supposedly he received a million and a half in at least two transactions. Given his 1040 forms, it shouldn't be hard to figure out whether his assets are beyond his means or not.

If this guy's married, I feel sorry for his family. Unless she has income, things can get dicey real fast for the family of someone who's assets are frozen.