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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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To: quantim
Now this is a graphic waiting to happen...

I'm saving it for when the "Blame Bush" crowd starts getting a full head of steam.

21 posted on 09/13/2005 7:57:31 PM PDT by Prime Choice (E=mc^3. Don't drink and derive.)
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To: Prime Choice
Count on the media squashing this story. ...but if it'd been a Republican, it'd be on the front page above the fold.

Hey it is on ABC News web page right now! But I have to agree the story can't go far in the MSM because it is a black Democrat Congressman. It just doesn't fit their story.

The fact is, it is the media's blamethrowing that is out of kilter here. I'm not saying there were no mistakes made. But basically, massive logistics couldn't be solved fast enough to help a bunch of folks that were very unfortunately abandoned for an excruiciatingly long time. I'm sure everyone is saying Congressman Jefferson should have volunteered those resources to rescue some of those people. The truth is, the resources he used were a drop in the bucket. It would have been a symbolic gesture at best.

I think these scathing attacks on Congressman Jefferson only appear so justified because of the ridiculous level of blamethrowing going on.

22 posted on 09/13/2005 8:00:06 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
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To: frankjr

Well, afterall, he got the books and keeps the figures. Go get those books boys!


23 posted on 09/13/2005 8:00:27 PM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Just mythoughts

ping


24 posted on 09/13/2005 8:00:45 PM PDT by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: NutCrackerBoy

Hmmm..."blamethrowing." Is that a term you coined? I might need to use it and I'd like to give proper credit.


25 posted on 09/13/2005 8:02:58 PM PDT by Prime Choice (E=mc^3. Don't drink and derive.)
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To: Mrs. Shawnlaw

See post # 12.


26 posted on 09/13/2005 8:04:09 PM PDT by TADSLOS (Right Wing Infidel since 1954)
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To: Calpernia

I guess I picked the wrong thread to ping you...lol...


27 posted on 09/13/2005 8:05:48 PM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: TADSLOS

See post # 12.
THANX!! We must have been posting at the same time!


28 posted on 09/13/2005 8:05:52 PM PDT by Mrs. Shawnlaw (Rock beats scissors. Don't run with rocks. NRA)
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To: Prime Choice
I'm saving it for when the "Blame Bush" crowd starts getting a full head of steam.

I'm thinkin' a scene where you put all the incompetents like Blanco, Nagin, and now William Jefferson, (might as well throw in Leahy, Biden, Kennedy, Turdbin from the below psycho medical deck) all jump on a ferry that capsizes from too much 'weight' on one side and tips into the poisoned water of New Orleans where they reap what they have sown.
29 posted on 09/13/2005 8:07:14 PM PDT by quantim (Detroit is the New Orleans of the North, above sea level.)
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To: frankjr; dixiechick2000; reagan_fanatic; Prime Choice; Boazo; devolve; potlatch; onyx; OXENinFLA; ..
Was Jessie Jackson riding shotgun?

(Just when you thought you'd heard it all . .)

==================================

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.


30 posted on 09/13/2005 8:07:32 PM PDT by Happy2BMe (Viva La MIGRA - LONG LIVE THE BORDER PATROL!)
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To: frankjr
>> I am hoping that the MSM is realizing that they overreacted the first week when blaming everything on Bush.

I am hoping you are correct.

Katrina may have breached the MSM levy, as their overreach on this one is becoming a non sustainable situation.

Even the most illiterate partisan fool on the planet is having trouble trying to pin an act of nature on a president.
31 posted on 09/13/2005 8:07:40 PM PDT by mmercier (for such there is no home, no refuge anywhere)
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To: quantim

I think ol' William Jefferson is going to get a solo act there. Blanco and Nagin were screwing the pooch elsewhere. This guy needs the hairy eyeball on him and him alone.


32 posted on 09/13/2005 8:10:02 PM PDT by Prime Choice (E=mc^3. Don't drink and derive.)
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To: frankjr
HEY! Has anyone gotten to the end of the article where it says: "In an unrelated matter, authorities have recently searched Jefferson's property as part of a federal investigation into the finances of a high-tech firm. Last month FBI officials raided Jefferson's house as well as his home in Washington, D.C., his car and his accountant's house. ...

"... A senior federal law enforcement source tells ABC News that investigators are interested in learning if Jefferson moved any materials relevant to the investigation. Jefferson says he did not."

Yeah, just like he says he was only visiting his Parish to see if any of his constituents needed any help and he just HAPPENED to be in the neighborhood... (sarcasm intended!!!)

33 posted on 09/13/2005 8:12:00 PM PDT by egfowler3 (You say psycho like its a bad thing.)
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To: frankjr

The congressman is protected by the race card shield.


34 posted on 09/13/2005 8:12:52 PM PDT by citizencon
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To: egfowler3

"Last month FBI officials raided Jefferson's house..."

Maybe Jefferson was using the Nat Guard to remove any remaining evidence.


35 posted on 09/13/2005 8:22:00 PM PDT by frankjr (I demand a Congressional Investigation!!!! What was the question again?)
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To: Prime Choice
Hmmm..."blamethrowing." Is that a term you coined?

Why, yes. It came into my head just now. I rather like it.

36 posted on 09/13/2005 8:22:39 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
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To: Prime Choice

He's already under investigation and has been indicted, something to do with "business" dealings in Africa and S.A. I think it was. Am pretty sure I read it on here around the time the hurricane came through. Maybe they can just throw this in with the other charges.


37 posted on 09/13/2005 8:24:05 PM PDT by penowa (I've been Quinnoculated, have you?)
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To: All

bttt


38 posted on 09/13/2005 8:25:25 PM PDT by uncitizen
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To: Prime Choice

No need for attribution.


39 posted on 09/13/2005 8:26:01 PM PDT by NutCrackerBoy
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To: NutCrackerBoy
>> I'm not saying there were no mistakes made. But basically, massive logistics couldn't be solved fast enough to help a bunch of folks that were very unfortunately abandoned for an excruciatingly long time.

Someone made the point earlier on the radio, Rush, Sevrin or Carr; Should FEMA have deployed the day before landfall they would still be drawing criticism as their limited recourses and personnel would have been a total loss in need of aid as well as those they intended to save.

FEMA is slow and inefficient, but then any organization of limited resource and personnel that deals with disaster after the fact can never be fast or efficient enough for those up to their chin's in sewerage and pond scum.

A disaster is by its very nature is a situation that causes widespread destruction and distress, no one helps by jumping into the situation before the fact and adding more people and material loss.
40 posted on 09/13/2005 8:26:05 PM PDT by mmercier (thus the maker of Men lays waste this Earth)
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