Florida businesswoman says she sought to bribe former Rep. William Jefferson RAT-La

NOLA ^ | 7/21/09 | Jonathan Tilove and Bruce Alpert

[Libloather]

Florida businesswoman says she sought to bribe former Rep. William Jefferson
by Jonathan Tilove and Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune
Tuesday July 21, 2009, 2:24 PM

ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- A Florida businesswoman who had lined up a deal to exploit untapped oil reserves off the coast of the African island nation of Sao Tome and Principe testified today in the corruption trial of former Rep. William Jefferson that she had agreed to give his brother Mose an oil lot potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars in exchange for the congressman's help in untangling the knots that had tied up the deal.

Noreen Griffin, who went by the married name of Wilson at the time, was asked by assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Duross, ``how did you understand what you were doing,'' in agreeing to pay off Mose Jefferson.

``Bribing a congressman,'' she replied.

What did she hope that Jefferson might do in return?

Keep Sao Tome and Principe from canceling its contracts with two companies that Griffin was associated with -- Environmental Remediation Holding Company and Procura Financial -- and getting the deal back on track.

Duross questioned whether she had she ever checked out the oil company with West African interests that Mose Jefferson was purportedly affiliated with?

No.

``Did it matter?'' asked Duross.

``No sir,'' Griffin said.

Had she ever even met Mose Jefferson?

No.

[Libloather]

Florida businesswoman says she sought to bribe former Rep. William Jefferson

That's his DEFENSE? I've been on a jury. That won't fly...

This photo presented on Wednesday July 8, 2009 as court evidence and provided by the U.S. Attorney's office shows an unidentified FBI agent holding contents seized on Aug. 3, 2005 from the freezer of the Washington home of then-Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. Jurors in the bribery trial of former Rep. William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans until losing his re-election bid last year, saw photos Wednesday of the infamous frozen cash, recovered in August 2005. It was wrapped in $10,000 increments and concealed in boxes of Pillsbury pie crust and Boca burgers. Prosecutors allege that Jefferson received more than $400,000 in bribes and sought millions more in exchange for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa, Jefferson's lawyers have argued it is not illegal for Jefferson to receive payment for actions as a private business consultant. (AP Photo/U.S. Attorney's office)