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Amid Katrina Chaos, Congressman Used National Guard to Visit Home
ABC News ^ | 9/13/05 | JAKE TAPPER

Posted on 09/13/2005 7:37:31 PM PDT by frankjr

Sept. 13, 3005 — Amid the chaos and confusion that engulfed New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck, a local congressman used National Guard troops to check on his property and rescue his personal belongings — even while New Orleans residents were trying to get rescued from rooftops, ABC News has learned.

On Friday, Sept. 2 — five days after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast — Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who represents New Orleans and is a senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, was allowed through the military blockades set up around the city to reach the Superdome, where thousands of evacuees had been taken.

Military sources tells ABC News that Jefferson, an eight-term Democratic congressman, asked the National Guard that night to take him on a tour of the flooded portions of his congressional district. A 5-ton military truck and a half dozen military police were dispatched.

Lt. Col. Pete Schneider of the Louisiana National Guard tells ABC News that during the tour, Jefferson asked that the truck take him to his home on Marengo Street, in the affluent uptown neighborhood in his congressional district. According to Schneider, this was not part of Jefferson's initial request.

...

The water reached to the third step of Jefferson's house, a military source familiar with the incident told ABC News, and the vehicle pulled up onto Jefferson's front lawn so he wouldn't have to walk in the water. Jefferson went into the house alone, the source says, while the soldiers waited on the porch for about an hour.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 109th; dhpl; katrina; nationalguard; williamjefferson
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Those LA Dems are really concerned about savings lives. Or maybe just their favorite blanky.
1 posted on 09/13/2005 7:37:37 PM PDT by frankjr
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To: frankjr

What is it with Dems named "William Jefferson"?


2 posted on 09/13/2005 7:38:44 PM PDT by SlowBoat407 (My tagline has been looted.)
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To: frankjr

Once again it is the liberal act of do as I say not as I do...

What an Idiot congressman!


3 posted on 09/13/2005 7:38:53 PM PDT by Americanwolf (U.S. Navy Veteran.....93-97 Clinton I want my trip to Australia! I had to go to China you pervert!)
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To: frankjr; Americanwolfsbrother

Dems at their best.


4 posted on 09/13/2005 7:39:36 PM PDT by Americanwolf (U.S. Navy Veteran.....93-97 Clinton I want my trip to Australia! I had to go to China you pervert!)
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To: frankjr
Rep. William Jefferson, D-La

Who should be tried, convicted and jailed for this outrage.

Count on the media squashing this story. ...but if it'd been a Republican, it'd be on the front page above the fold.

5 posted on 09/13/2005 7:40:16 PM PDT by Prime Choice (E=mc^3. Don't drink and derive.)
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To: frankjr

It gets better...also from the article:

"The Louisiana National Guard tells ABC News the truck became stuck as it waited for Jefferson to retrieve his belongings.

The soldiers signaled to helicopters in the air for aid. Military sources say a Coast Guard helicopter pilot saw the signal and flew to Jefferson's home. The chopper was already carrying four rescued New Orleans residents at the time.

A rescue diver descended from the helicopter, but the congressman decided against going up in the helicopter, sources say. The pilot sent the diver down again, but Jefferson again declined to go up the helicopter.

After spending approximately 45 minutes with Jefferson, the helicopter went on to rescue three additional New Orleans residents before it ran low on fuel and was forced to end its mission.

"Forty-five minutes can be an eternity to somebody that is drowning, to somebody that is sitting in a roof, and it needs to be used its primary purpose during an emergency," said Hauer."


6 posted on 09/13/2005 7:40:57 PM PDT by frankjr (Hillary = Blanco Lite)
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To: frankjr

WHOA, three of the same threads in a row, back to back yet.


7 posted on 09/13/2005 7:46:36 PM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: frankjr

He better be VERY happy he doesn't have an (R) next to his name.....


8 posted on 09/13/2005 7:46:47 PM PDT by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
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To: frankjr

William Jefferson is toast. And to think this report is from ABC.


9 posted on 09/13/2005 7:47:10 PM PDT by auboy
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To: Prime Choice

Uh, we learned it from ABC.


10 posted on 09/13/2005 7:47:34 PM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: frankjr

power corrupts. and absolute power corrupts absolutely!


11 posted on 09/13/2005 7:49:09 PM PDT by bethtopaz (We will not allow another generation of heroes to be forsaken. -- NewLand, from Free Republic)
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To: frankjr
Follow the money on this scumbag:

FBI Raids Home of Jefferson

12 posted on 09/13/2005 7:51:00 PM PDT by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
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To: frankjr
He will overwhelmingly win his ninth term via absentee ballot, and the votes of the dead in what is left of his district.

And no one will dare comment.

I am surprised ABC would even put this story out.
13 posted on 09/13/2005 7:51:35 PM PDT by mmercier (a lousy juggler can deceive you)
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To: frankjr

Wasn't he the one that had FBI people searching and confiscating items in his home? That was announced but never heard any more after that


14 posted on 09/13/2005 7:51:38 PM PDT by Mrs. Shawnlaw (Rock beats scissors. Don't run with rocks. NRA)
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To: frankjr
Rep. William Jefferson, D-La

Shouldn't that be La-D-Da in this case? :o)

15 posted on 09/13/2005 7:53:46 PM PDT by arasina (So there.)
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To: frankjr
Hey Rush and staff, are you listening? I fully expect to hear this in the first hour tomorrow.
16 posted on 09/13/2005 7:54:49 PM PDT by quantim (Detroit is the New Orleans of the North, above sea level.)
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To: Ursus arctos horribilis
Yes...on the web. Do you think it'll get any ink in the NY Times or the LA Times? How about major play on 60 minutes? Nightline?

Well?

17 posted on 09/13/2005 7:54:52 PM PDT by Prime Choice (E=mc^3. Don't drink and derive.)
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To: mmercier

" I am surprised ABC would even put this story out."

I am hoping that the MSM is realizing that they overreacted the first week when blaming everything on Bush. Now as some of the facts come out and now that they media realizes that Nagin, Blanco, Landrieu are complete morons, the media figures it may want to do some backtracking. At least a little.


18 posted on 09/13/2005 7:55:05 PM PDT by frankjr (Hillary = Blanco Lite)
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To: Prime Choice

Now this is a graphic waiting to happen...


19 posted on 09/13/2005 7:55:40 PM PDT by quantim (Detroit is the New Orleans of the North, above sea level.)
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To: frankjr

Un-FRIGGIN-Beliveable!


20 posted on 09/13/2005 7:56:02 PM PDT by Xenophobic Alien ("It gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level.")
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