William Jefferson (D-La.) case chills Democrats (Let's go to the videotape...)

North Jersey. com ^ | 6/01/06 | MARIE COCCO

[Libloather]

Jefferson case chills Democrats
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
By MARIE COCCO

Democrats, repeat after me. In his freezer.

This is the retort that chills the Democrats' contention that Republicans in the House have nurtured a "culture of corruption" which can only be undone by electing Democrats and booting the GOP from control over Capitol Hill.

And just think. Freezer jokes will keep their freshness only until we see the videotapes.

That is, the videotapes of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., allegedly taking a briefcase full of bills -- about $100,000 in all -- in what the FBI believes was a plot to enrich himself by promoting business ventures in Africa. The investigators allege that most of this cash (marked bills, of course) was divided into handy tin-foil packets and stashed in Jefferson's freezer.

We will, no doubt, soon see leaked videotapes played constantly on those annoyingly repetitive cable news channels. And then, guess what?

The biggest congressional scandal in a generation -- that is, the one involving convicted Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, disgraced former Republican leader Tom DeLay, a still-unknown number of mostly Republican lawmakers and former Republican staffers -- will suddenly look like a Democratic scandal. Why? Because that's what will be on TV. Visuals are everything.

There is only one thing for Democrats to do now: Show that they really are different from Republicans.

They must demonstrate zero tolerance for corruption. They can't push Jefferson out of Congress -- only the voters in his New Orleans district can do that. But certainly Democrats can usher Jefferson out the door of his committee rooms.

**SNIP**

Pelosi must solve the Jefferson problem fast -- before we go to the videotape.

[SkyPilot]

Looks like a drunk...

I don't know anything about that. However, being overweight and having a beet red face ..... well.