Judge: Unseal William Jefferson (D-La.) raid paperwork (The rise and potential fall...)

NOLA ^ | 6/03/06

[Ole Okie]

The Times-Picayune only wants access to that information so they can put pressure on Jefferson to step aside to get his scandal out of the public eye quickly.

That's my take on this also. Bears repeating.

[El Gato]

Can a Judge over rule the POTUS?????

Of course. But a judge is unlikely to require revelation of the take of the raid on his Congressional office, before the trial. He could however order it unsealed to the prosecution team, but since that team works for POTUS, who's gonna have standing to bring it court, since they aren't about to do so?

[El Gato]

This information would just be the information used to secure the warrants, not the "take" from the raid. The public does have a right to know that the government isn't raiding Congressmen, or anyone else, without sufficient probable cause.

[joebuck]

"Didn't some Congressman actually try that once? Said he was actually trying to set up the guys trying to bribe him?"

I think that was Rep. Jenrette after he got nailed in the Abscam investigation. The jury didn't buy it.

[CFC__VRWC]

The Times-Picayune only wants access to that information so they can put pressure on Jefferson to step aside to get his scandal out of the public eye quickly.

Another possibility that occured to me is that the media wants access to the information so they can look for ways to pick apart the FBI's case and attempt to spin it as the government (i.e. the Bushitler regime) conducting a political witch hunt against a poor innocent black Congressman to try and take attention away from their own "culture of corruption." They probably figure if they play their hand right, they'll be able to pressure the judge into ruling the Jefferson videotape as inadmissible, and therefore fatally wound the government's case against him. It may even work.

One thing is certain - the media sure as hell isn't doing this to get at the truth.

[shalom aleichem]

at least Jim Traficant (D-Ohio)

[StJacques]

"Another possibility that occured to me is that the media wants access to the information so they can look for ways to pick apart the FBI's case and attempt to spin it . . . One thing is certain - the media sure as hell isn't doing this to get at the truth."

Am I the only one wondering why we have not seen a more thorough examination of the scenario that played out in the procurement of the business contract that IT company in Kentucky sought in Nigeria? If Jefferson were a Republican, you can bet we would have already read a summary the phone logs of contacts between Jefferson and the others associated with this case.

I'm just not seeing the kind of investigative reporting that usually accompanies this kind of scandal. When Cunningham's indictment surfaced, we even heard about who cleaned his boat. And please do not think I want to cover for him in any way, because I detest bribery no matter what party is involved.