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Rep. Jefferson Gets Seat on Homeland Security
Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who's facing an ongoing federal corruption probe, is being granted a spot on the Homeland Security Committee, according to Democratic aides.
The appointment will be announced Friday, according to one aide who requested anonymity because the decision isn't yet official.
Jefferson was removed from his seat on the Ways and Means Committee, one of the most important panels in Congress, by Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) last summer in an attempt to show how seriously Democrats viewed the allegations of corruption.
But the move by Pelosi, who was still minority leader at the time, infuriated members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who said Jefferson shouldn't be punished unless he is indicted; federal prosecutors have yet to bring an indictment, despite an FBI raid 18 months ago on his home that yielded $90,000 in cash in his freezer.
Other lawmakers were angling for the seat on Homeland Security, which was the last slot available on the panel, according to another Democratic aide.
The committee oversees the Homeland Security Department and its web of agencies designed to protect against terrorism on U.S. soil.
The committee has oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was widely panned for its response to Hurricane Katrina in Jefferson's hometown of New Orleans.
As a member of the committee, Jefferson will not have direct oversight of the FBI or the Justice Department.
A former Jefferson aide has already pleaded guilty to corruption in the ongoing investigation, as has a businessman who alleged in his plea agreement that he bribed Jefferson in order to win contracts with African nations.
When most committee assignments were given out two months ago, Jefferson was assigned a spot on the Small Business Committee, generally considered one of the least sought after panels.
By Paul Kane |
February 15, 2007; 5:59 PM ET
House
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Posted by: mike g | February 15, 2007 6:42 PM
**This will be the most ethical congress in history.** --Nancy Pelosi
Posted by: gitarre | February 15, 2007 6:50 PM
good for him ,why was he not indited ,i think i know the answer.was it because the republicans put the money in his refrigerator. what person would be dumb enough to hide the money in his refrig. in his own house, even republican are not that dumb.
Posted by: C.hendrix | February 15, 2007 6:53 PM
Let's talk real life here--$90,000 in the freezer? Nothing suspicious about that, is there? Pretty normal situation for most of us. Jefferson will be indicted and his idiotic story about how he got the money will fly like a cinder block. Did he have that $90 thousand because he saved his lunch money every day? Sen. Jefferson, it's all over, dude, don't hang around jabbering about how they invaded your privacy only to see what true humiliation really is.
Posted by: mikeasr | February 15, 2007 7:12 PM
I am certain that Dollar Bill Jefferson will do well. I am equally certain Jeff will find ways so send millions more down to his people in Louisiana. Some of it probably won't be stolen!
Posted by: Tupac Goldstein | February 15, 2007 8:33 PM
Let's see the Feds try Scooter Libby for lying a non- crime that wasn't committed; yet William Jefferson (D-LA) is free to run amok. I'll wager that if any of us plebes had 90K in unreported income in cold storage the IRS at the very least would be knocking down our door
Posted by: maximus | February 15, 2007 9:07 PM
Let us be fair.Representative Jefferson may be guilty or he may not be guilty. He is innocent until proven guilty under the american system of jurisprudence.
If the Justice department has a tight case they must bring that case before the courts. If they don't have a case with which they can charge representative Jefferson then he may act as a representative of his constituents. Under no circumstances may he be declared guilty until his case is presented before the courts.Hearsay is just hearsay.
Posted by: davpersona | February 16, 2007 1:33 AM
There's a difference between hanging the guy and declining to assign him a seat on committee. Should he go to jail without due process? No. Should he be involved in making decisions for DHS? No. If the Republicans put the $90k in Jefferson's freezer, I suppose they put the cigar in Monica's hoo-ha, too.
Posted by: karen | February 16, 2007 11:17 AM
Does that mean that Tom Delay was unjustly persecuted? It looks like the typical Democrat Double Standard.
Posted by: Greg | February 16, 2007 1:54 PM
Five words:
"Most ethical Congress in history"
Posted by: steve miller | February 16, 2007 1:54 PM
I'm speachless... is he out because he is black?democrat,this is disgusting!!I broke loose from a Dictatorship to watch the dimise of the country I took as mine?
DOWN WITH CORRUPTS!! BOTH CONGRESS MEN/WOMEN, AND SENETORS FROM ANY PARTY
Down with both Hispanic/Black cocuses.they are bigots and racists
Posted by: Juan Carlos | February 16, 2007 6:09 PM
The Dems have never met a criminal they didn't fall in love with.
Posted by: jack p | February 16, 2007 6:35 PM
I get it now! To Pelosi, "cleaning house" means dragging the garbage back in.
Posted by: Marc Farner | February 16, 2007 6:39 PM
what did you expect ? of course all is well now that we have the Most ethical Congress in history. Its just a matter of time before this country IMPLODES. God help us if we don't elect a CONSERVATIVE leader thats not worried about being politically correct in every decision.Our founding fathers are rolling over in their graves.
God Bless America
Posted by: jlbcalif | February 16, 2007 7:04 PM
Remember Tom DeLay? As a Republican, he voluntarily steped down after being framed by a Lib rogue Prosecutor Hack whose goal, undoubtably, was to remove "The Hammer" as then House Majority Leader. After all, the Republican Party has built in Rules of ethical stardards for it's members, especially it's Leadership, which the Dim Party does not have. Therefore, the most Arrogant Pelosi Congress can slink to it's own Lowest Common Denominator while boasting about it! Cold-cash Jefferson is but One of their Democrat moral assets...
Posted by: J.E. Keck | February 16, 2007 8:07 PM
Re: Rep. Jefferson Gets Seat on Homeland Security Committee.
Yes, this is the most honest, open, ethical government ever. Except for American Samoa and D.C.
The bigger the number of bibles one swears upon is inversely proportional to the structural integrity of the ladder to reach the top of the stack.
ciao,
harvey
Lancaster, Taxifornia
Posted by: Harvey Steele | February 16, 2007 8:11 PM
I've never used the 'N' word until now.
Posted by: Russ | February 16, 2007 9:34 PM
Hey folks, don't complain...you are getting what you voted for! Let's evacuate the US embassy in Bagdad now, so we will not have to send choppers from the Stennis later to get them out!
Posted by: Stephen | February 16, 2007 11:53 PM
Jefferson couldn't be so dumb as to hide graft money in his fridge? The entire Dem Party seems to constantly be crowing about their stupidity in being misled into the Iraq war by that dumb, rube hillbilly cowboy, Bush.
Dumb enough to hide 90 grand in a floating freezer? You bet!!
Posted by: Ken | February 17, 2007 1:21 AM
Ray Nagin Mayor of New Orleans(New Orleans is
gonna be Chocolate again).
Willian Jefferson (90,000 in cash in his freezer).
Eddie Jordan New Orleans U.S. District Attorney(fired 57 white people and replaced them with black employee's)
Can you say a culture of corruption!
Posted by: Shane | February 17, 2007 5:53 AM
He is Black, therefore he will be able to do whatever he wants. It is to bad the blacks in this country take 200 years to adopt and another 200 to fit in. They could do nothing if the goverment did not give them. Look at Jesse and Al, they are the reason why blacks will never advance? Maybe they should stop making excuses for the reason they are so lazy. Work hard and prosper this is America. Look at all the other immigrants who came to our country. They work hard and prosper, blacks do not? Why is that? Could be they think things are owed to them? Get off of your lazy butts and work.
Posted by: E Smith | February 17, 2007 6:36 AM
Repugnant, but not surprising from a corrupt administration !
Posted by: j henderson | February 17, 2007 7:27 AM
Both parties have taken bribes, stolen money and molested children. Both parties allow illegal immigration and drugs to enter the country. Both parties sit idle to the plight of teenage prostitution. Republican & Democrat, whats the difference? There is none.
Posted by: jOE | February 17, 2007 10:40 AM
This man will never be indicted,why? because all of our politicians are criminals.I would bet most of them have 90k or better in their freezers as well.
Posted by: Gary | February 17, 2007 2:05 PM
This man will never be indicted,why? because all of our politicians are criminals.I would bet most of them have 90k or better in their freezers as well.
Posted by: Gary | February 17, 2007 2:06 PM
Whats new? there are more crooks in Washingto DC than there is in prison.
Posted by: Tom | February 17, 2007 4:22 PM
I love articles like this for the pure entertainment value.
I have this little game I like to play in my head called Sub-standard. The rules are simple: when listening to or reading any article, speech, or performance, substitute the opposite for any polarizing adjective or noun.
Example: Hear "Black", translate it into "White", and then think about how the article/speaker would be received by others. It works great with any political, religious, ethnic, or racial identity.
Try it! Read Democrat as Republican, or Christian as Muslim, or, heck, in articles like this one -- just go nuts flipping affiliations.
It's infotaining and educreational!
(Caution: May cause unpleasant insight into yourself and others.)
Posted by: CM | February 17, 2007 4:45 PM
It seems that when Ms. Pelosi spoke of a "culture of corruption", she intended not on stopping it, but rather on continuing and expanding upon it. So much for the ethics of the Democrat Party!
Posted by: William Sherman | February 20, 2007 9:47 AM
Hey 'davpersona' former Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio was Innocent until he was proven Guilty!
Yet that didn't stop people from lambasting him and sending him to jail.
The biggest problem I see is that Jefferson got caught with his hand in the 'Peanut Jar' while at least Ney got way with a whole bunch of Cookies.
Whats the matter with Jefferson? Couldn't he hold out for a few more bucks?
Posted by: RY | February 20, 2007 2:19 PM
Hey 'davpersona' former Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio was Innocent until he was proven Guilty!
Yet that didn't stop people from lambasting him and sending him to jail.
The biggest problem I see is that Jefferson got caught with his hand in the 'Peanut Jar' while at least Ney got way with a whole bunch of Cookies.
Whats the matter with Jefferson? Couldn't he hold out for a few more bucks?
Posted by: ry | February 20, 2007 2:23 PM
Ooopps the Dems and Nancy show their true colors. They're for sale, all you need is refrigerated cash. 90 grand is a nice start.
Posted by: Trooper | February 20, 2007 3:12 PM
Hey CM,
I tried that. Crazy good fun. A bit scary to boot. It's like that word game when we were kids where you could create an entire story by filling in the blanks.
It's even more fun when you substitute politicians names with the names of famous guitarists.
Makes me want to post some song lyrics.
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Posted by: merkernew | March 10, 2007 3:32 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
I think this would be a significant mistake. There's nothing wrong with a higher standard than not having been indicted.