Posted on 05/21/2006 1:24:40 PM PDT by LM_Guy
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A congressman under investigation for bribery was caught on videotape accepting $100,000 in $100 bills from an FBI informant whose conversations with the lawmaker also were recorded, according to a court document released Sunday. Agents later found the cash hidden in his freezer.
At one audiotaped meeting, Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., chuckles about writing in code to keep secret what the government contends was his corrupt role in getting his children a cut of a communications company's deal for work in Africa.
As Jefferson and the informant passed notes about what percentage the lawmaker's family might receive, the congressman "began laughing and said, 'All these damn notes we're writing to each other as if we're talking, as if the FBI is watching,'" according to the affidavit.
Jefferson, who represents New Orleans, has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.
As for the $100,000, the government says Jefferson got the money in a leather briefcase last July 30 at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington. The plan was for the lawmaker to use the cash to bribe a high-ranking Nigerian official _ the name is blacked out in the court document _ to ensure the success of a business deal in that country, the affidavit said.
All but $10,000 was recovered on Aug. 3 when the FBI searched Jefferson's home in Washington. The money was stuffed in his freezer, wrapped in $10,000 packs and concealed in food containers and aluminum foil.
Two of Jefferson's associates have pleaded guilty to bribery-related charges in federal court in Alexandria. One, businessman Vernon Jackson of Louisville, Ky., admitted paying more than $400,000 in bribes to the lawmaker in exchange for his help securing business deals for Jackson's telecommunications company in Nigeria and other African countries.
The new details about the case emerged after....
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Hey 2PAC Pelosi ,, Nothing like 'cold hard cash" to close a deal, eh? ;-)
I think you are onto something. This may be why he was in such a big hurry to have the National Guard get him to his house (and his freezer).
This just keeps getting better.
They were trying to evacuate him, and he diverted them to his house. I seem to remember the freezer was involved..
The one and only.
I think Rush must have referred to him as William Jefferson, Democrat-LA, at least a hundred times while discussing that National Guard story. He seems to like saying that. ;)
If they keep going, she'll end up with a toenail necklace.
Whoa Whoa! I appreciate you drawing our attention to the story by using parentheses and adding additional information, but look what the MSM left out? Had this been a Republican, we would have heard about it in the headline.
We have to go to the 2nd paragraph to read about this crook being a Democrat here.
I guess that's par for the course, though.
You owe me a new keyboard!
Yeah. He had the Guard drive him to his house. Then he made them wait outside a few minutes, then had them come in and cart out a bunch of boxes, IIRC. It wouldn't surprise me if it was the cash.
BTTT
We have your 'Culture of Corruption' on the phone.
Clinton had a lot of faults but taking money and bribes was not one of them. He was interested in women not money.
"Culture of corruption" placemarker.
Wrong.
OK. Evidence?
He took his money like he took his women... without permission.
See? "Blacked out". Sheer, unadulterated racism.
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