Jefferson 'cold cash' blamed on FBI sting

Washington Times ^ | 6/17/09 | Kristi Jourdan

[NormsRevenge]

The attorney for William J. Jefferson tackled the "elephant in the room" in opening statements Tuesday, explaining the notorious $90,000 "cold cash" discovered in the former congressman's freezer as an FBI setup bid. Prosecutors, for their part, painted a portrait of a debt-ridden man selling out the public good.

In his opening speech in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Jefferson attorney Robert Trout addressed the best-known detail in the case - the marked bills found by federal agents in Mr. Jefferson's freezer wrapped inside Pillsbury Pie Crust boxes. He described the money as the trial's "elephant in the room."

He said Mr. Jefferson did not commit bribery because he never passed on the money to its intended recipient - then-Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar - and he accused a Jefferson business partner, who will not be testifying during the trial, of setting up the Louisiana Democrat.

FBI agents "set out to bag a congressman," Mr. Trout said, claiming the government "wrote the script and directed the action" while finding witnesses to fill the cast and placing Northern Virginia businesswoman Lori Mody in a starring role.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lytle claimed that at the time Mr. Jefferson and his wife, Andrea, owed more than $100,000 - $62,000 in credit card debts and $40,000 in bounced-check fees and other banking-related penalties. This might have motivated the nine-term congressman, who lost his re-election bid last year, to seek bribes, the prosecution argued.

"This case is about ... one of our government's most powerful officials using his public office for private gain repeatedly," Mr. Lytle said.

Mr. Jefferson, who represented parts of New Orleans, faces 16 counts of soliciting bribes, money laundering, racketeering and other crimes.

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

DANG!!!! Beat me to it. and I swear it just came to my mind! (great minds and all...)

[Two Kids' Dad]

I’m sick of everything 0bama-related. I have to turn down my radio during breaks because the news stories always lead with something about 0bama. It’s disgusting!

Back on subject, Jefferson needs to be audited by the IRS. Today.

[Charles Martel]

He took the money. Therefore he committed an act of bribery.

Yep, he accepted the bribe. Doesn't matter that the money was a hook baited by the FBI; he chose to swallow it.

[Mouton]

If the cash missed his mitt
you have to acquit.

Any sightings of Ito anywhere around the court room? How about OJ? How about the OJ jury?

Vince

[Heart of Georgia]

“He said Mr. Jefferson did not commit bribery because he never passed on the money to its intended recipient”

If this were a Republican, ______. (fill in the blank)

[sig226]

At $35.00 per, $40,000.00 in bad check charges is over 1,100 bad checks. Yet Jefferson is not under indictment for passing bad checks. Now here’s where it gets amusing. If you add the typical $25.00 penalty charged by the recipient of the bad check, the number of hot checks is 666. :)