Posted on 02/17/2008 3:48:50 AM PST by Libloather
Jefferson strategies may be incompatible
One defense Rep. William Jefferson has mounted to contest federal bribery charges against him might be undermining another defense he has raised. Jefferson contends he shouldn't be charged with public bribery because he never performed "official acts," such as voting or introducing legislation, to promote business ventures in Africa. He also has tried to get the bribery charges thrown out by saying the grand jury that indicted him in June heard details of his legislative activities in violation of the Constitution's "speech or debate" clause. But in a written ruling last week, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III pointed out the potential conflict between the two arguments. While noting that grand jurors heard about Jefferson's role in passing Africa trade legislation, he said it wasn't relevant because the government has not accused Jefferson of selling his vote or, what the congressman might call an "official act." Ellis has yet to render an opinion on Jefferson's interpretation of the bribery statute, but in last week's decision, he made his views on the "speech or debate" clause quite clear: "Put simply, the speech or debate clause is not a license to commit a crime."
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
This criminal epitomizes the Democrat party. Guy is dirty but clings to power and his fellow dems haven’t the decency to confront him and throw his sorry ass out of office of party.
Same for the Clintons, and so many more dems. Where as if a Repub is found to be criminal they are immedicately removed.
Double standard.
And Denny Hastert threw himself on a grenade for this guy!
The jig is up!
Hee hee. He said “jig”...
Jefferson is one superdelegate who Hillary and Obama are telling to vote for their opponent.
William Jefferson, D-LA, is a demoncrat. Just give him his get-out-of-jail card and move on to something important. Like trans-fats or big corporations profits. /S
Well, if he didn’t do the favors that the bribers paid him to do, then he should be tried for fraud. Either way, he belongs out of Congress and in jail.
Other than being remembered as an ineffective party leader, this is the only thing I remember Hastert for
Didn’t Jefferson support the War on Terror and therefore gets a pass from Republican leaders? He is more “conservative” than his other African American colleagues. But he takes bribes?
Actually, Hastert was chosen because he was supposedly an “effective, behind-the-scenes” party leader. I guess that was just never true. Like so many IL Republicans (supposedly Hyde being the exception), Hastert left his fellow Republicans flat.
I’ve heard a lot of nonsense about how Hastert was such an effective leader behind the scenes. That is B.S. as he NEVER confronted the dems on any of their unAmerican b.s.
He was a go along get along kiss ass.
A typical politician, the kind afraid to take a stand for fear of offending a faction thus never really pleasing any.
Now if we can just get them to sing some work songs.
Swing low Sweet chariot.
I see, then the wrestler Hastert must have really been a golfer Bob Michel brand of Republican. People just never learn, do they?
Tom DeLay wasn't booted after his indictment. Larry Craig wasn't booted after a conviction. Don't be so quick to jump on the high horse.
Delays indictment was by a dem operative prosecutor and what illegality did craig commit Pal? Jefferson had a hundred grand of marked payola in his freezer pal. GET REAL.
Delays indictment was by a dem operative prosecutor
Be that as it may, he was legally indicted. We need a clear standard here. Either an indictment is enough to begin proceedings to expel someone from Congress or it isn't.
I don't remember the last time someone from either party was expelled without a conviction.
what illegality did craig commit Pal?
He plead guilty to disorderly conduct.
Jefferson had a hundred grand of marked payola in his freezer pal.He had a hundred grand in cash. Where the money came from is something no court has ruled on.
Name the last time a Republican was kicked out of Congress without a conviction, and I'll concede the point. GET REAL.
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