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EDITORIAL: The Jefferson verdict
The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune ^ | August 6, 2009 | Editorial

Posted on 08/06/2009 6:18:01 AM PDT by Ebenezer

Four years to the week after federal agents found $90,000 stashed in a freezer at his Washington home, former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson was found guilty Wednesday of putting his clout up for sale.

The guilty verdicts on 11 of 16 corruption counts ought to at last lift the cloud that Mr. Jefferson's tawdry behavior has cast over New Orleans since the FBI raid Aug. 3, 2005.

Oddly enough, the jury in Alexandria, Va., returned a not guilty verdict on the count involving the $90,000, which prosecutors said Mr. Jefferson planned to deliver as a bribe to the vice president of Nigeria.

But jurors left no doubt about their view of Mr. Jefferson's actions. They found him guilty of multiple counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes and wire fraud in connection with a series of schemes in which he helped American businesses broker deals in West Africa in exchange for payments to companies controlled by members of his family.

(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: 110th; billjefferson; corruptdems; cultureofcorruption; jefferson; louisiana; williamjefferson
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1 posted on 08/06/2009 6:18:04 AM PDT by Ebenezer
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To: lsucat; Roux; Pikachu_Dad; WFTR; chemicalman; abb; Liberty911; CajunConservative; LSUfan; ...

Pelican State ping


2 posted on 08/06/2009 6:19:03 AM PDT by Ebenezer (Strength and Honor!)
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To: rrstar96

I still believe that Obama will pardon him. It is all about Race and Racism.


3 posted on 08/06/2009 6:22:04 AM PDT by Redleg Duke ("Sarah Palin...Unleashing the Fury of the Castrated Left!")
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To: rrstar96

Finally!!! I hope this sends a message to his cronies in New Orleans that there will NOT be business as usual! We’re finally beginning to see politics change in Louisiana. On a poll I saw our state has 53% of our people against government healthcare - the largest percentage from around the country - we are paying attention.


4 posted on 08/06/2009 6:24:38 AM PDT by Bitsy
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To: Redleg Duke

still believe that Obama will pardon him. It is all about Race and Racism.

It’s possible. But, Jefferson is still exposed for the snake he has always been.


5 posted on 08/06/2009 6:25:43 AM PDT by Bitsy
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To: Redleg Duke

What other reason should a (leftist grievance mongering) black person get elected if not to get rich off of it?


6 posted on 08/06/2009 6:25:59 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
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To: Redleg Duke
I still believe that Obama will pardon him.

That's my fear exactly.

7 posted on 08/06/2009 6:26:03 AM PDT by Ebenezer (Strength and Honor!)
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To: rrstar96

Jeffoerson won the Democrat party nomination to run for the 2008 election for his seat.


8 posted on 08/06/2009 6:26:57 AM PDT by frithguild (Can I drill your head now?)
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To: frithguild

Right. And he was already indicted at the time.


9 posted on 08/06/2009 6:28:12 AM PDT by Ebenezer (Strength and Honor!)
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To: rrstar96

He could be reelected while serving time in a federal pen...


10 posted on 08/06/2009 6:31:33 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: rrstar96; frithguild

Is a convicted felon disqualified from serving in Congress?


11 posted on 08/06/2009 6:31:46 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of ye Chasse, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: rrstar96
So to use an old fashioned and possibly political incorrect term: he was caught red handed every which way.

And it took four years to convict him.

And basically the same set of people want to make life and death decisions about my health. Right on!

12 posted on 08/06/2009 6:38:44 AM PDT by I am Richard Brandon
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To: rrstar96
"...$90,000, which prosecutors said Mr. Jefferson planned to deliver as a bribe to the vice president of Nigeria

He could have saved himself the trouble and just e-mailed his bank account number to Nigeria to help that poor woman get money out of the country and kept the interest.

13 posted on 08/06/2009 6:39:39 AM PDT by The Great RJ ("The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." M. Thatcher)
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To: Redleg Duke
I still believe that Obama will pardon him. It is all about Race and Racism.

Very true...I'll bet you're correct.But he'll have to wait at least until mid-Novemember of 2012.That's still a good bit of time at the Crossbar Hotel.

14 posted on 08/06/2009 6:41:05 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Christian+Veteran=Terrorist)
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To: AnAmericanMother
Is a convicted felon disqualified from serving in Congress?

He's a RAT and the Speaker's a RAT.What do *you* think?

15 posted on 08/06/2009 6:42:48 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Christian+Veteran=Terrorist)
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To: rrstar96

The negative press would destroy the fool if he actually pardoned soemone so obviously guilty.

If it happens it will be minutes before he leaves the WH for good.


16 posted on 08/06/2009 6:43:01 AM PDT by 101voodoo
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To: AnAmericanMother

The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.

U.S.C.A. Const. Art. I § 2, cl. 1

No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

U.S.C.A. Const. Art. I § 2, cl. 2


17 posted on 08/06/2009 6:48:25 AM PDT by frithguild (Can I drill your head now?)
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To: Gay State Conservative

Actually, Obummer can pardon him anytime. The tradition of presidential pardons in the last hours of the administration dates only to Bill Clinton. Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon within a month of taking office, leading to the Republican bloodbath in the 1974 mid-terms. Totally idiotic timing on Ford’s part, but in those days presidents still issued pardons based on the merits of the case rather than political timing.


18 posted on 08/06/2009 6:50:59 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Gay State Conservative
Is a convicted felon disqualified from serving in Congress?

Google Alcee Hastings of Florida-- impeached as a federal judge for bribery and malfeasance in 1988, elected to the house in 1992, where he has been ensconced ever since.

And he ain't the first one. There's Adam Clayton Powell of New York, convicted and reelected. He has schools and streets named after him in Harlem.

Remember, there are two sets of laws-- one for the ruling class and one for the sheeple.

19 posted on 08/06/2009 6:57:22 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: rrstar96

20 posted on 08/06/2009 7:04:19 AM PDT by Melpomene
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