Posted on 06/13/2006 4:22:44 PM PDT by Libloather
Some CBC Members Secretly Trying to Oust Jefferson from Committee Post
by Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Washington Correspondent
Originally posted 6/13/2006
WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Although the Congressional Black Caucus has publicly presented a united front in its support of embattled U. S. Rep. Bill Jefferson’s right to maintain his committee memberships, some CBC members – including civil rights icon John Lewis (D-Ga.) – have assumed behind-the-scene roles in getting Jefferson ousted from his coveted position on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
“Mr. [Mel] Watt certainly ably and with great distinction, speaks for the Congressional Black Caucus,” says House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who spearheaded the movement to force Jefferson from the committee after he refused to voluntarily step down.
“But, quite frankly, a number of members of the Black Caucus have given me moral support on this.”
Some have provided more than that.
Among Pelosi’s chief allies in the attempted ousting is Congressman John Lewis (D-Ga.) sources have confirmed.
In a closed door meeting of the 50-member Democratic Caucus Steering Committee last Thursday, sources say that Lewis made the motion to have Jefferson stripped from his seat on the House Ways and Means, which has oversight on key fiscal matters, such as tax hikes, the minimum wage and military spending.
Because the session was private, some of those present agreed to discuss the meeting with the NNPA News Service on condition that they be granted anonymity.
The sources say former CBC Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) also spoke against Jefferson in the committee meeting.
In addition, they said, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), ranking member on the Ways and Means Committee, accepted an earlier assignment from Pelosi to try to talk Jefferson into stepping down on his own, an overture rejected by Jefferson.
Ironically, Rangel first won his seat in the House when he defeated the late U. S. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, who was under fire for alleged financial improprieties.
The House leadership had stripped Powell of his powerful Education and Labor Committee chairmanship and Rangel defeated him in the 1970 Democratic Primary.
Lewis’ motion, seconded by Pelosi, passed by secret ballot.
The motion stated: “The Committee moves that Congressman William Jefferson's appointment to the Committee on Ways & Means be suspended, with his seniority intact, until such time as a further recommendation to restore him to the Committee is made by the Steering and Policy Committee under the rules of the Democratic Caucus.”
The entire 201-member caucus was set to vote on the issue June 15. If the Caucus passes the motion for the removal of Jefferson, the action will be taken to the floor for a full House vote.
Through their spokespersons, Lewis, Johnson and Rangel all declined to comment.
Conceding that some members have obviously defected, CBC Chairman Mel Watt (D-N.C.) vehemently defended the firmness of the CBC’s position after the FBI raided Jefferson’s congressional office two weeks ago, the first time in the nation’s history that the executive branch has raided a legislative office.
“I think she is trying to refocus this,” Watt says, referring to Pelosi.
“This is for her, I guess - since we’re out here - this is about divide and conquer, as it always is, rather than about the substance of what is being proposed. And you know, I’m trying to talk about the substance of what they’re proposing to do and the truth of the matter is there is no precedent for that.”
Watt continues, “We are neither condoning, nor forgiving anything. All we’re trying to do is have a consistent set of rules that will apply to everybody so that we can go home and articulate what the standards are. I’d be just as concerned if he was a non-CBC member.”
Democrats have much at stake this election year. To win at least 15 House seats, a simple majority, could mean historic committee chairmanships for several members of the CBC, including Rangel, who would likely chair Ways and Means.
Jefferson says the eagerness for that power is one of the reasons behind the move to oust him.
“Nancy is overcome by this desire to be speaker so much until she’s getting close to losing her soul over these matters,” Jefferson says in an interview with the NNPA News Service.
“Whatever she thinks is going to help to get there, she’s just stepping over it to get there.”
Pelosi insists that her only motive is to uphold high ethical standards for the House.
She says she has joined in Jefferson’s federal suit requesting his papers back from the FBI. President Bush has temporarily sealed the documents.
But Jefferson says the only fair way to oust him from the committee would be if the House would conduct its own investigation and find wrongdoing.
“There’s been no investigation by the House or by Nancy. She’s basing her conclusions on news reports and collected pieces of information. We have an ethics process around here that should be under way that could take testimony and look at issues that decide them according to ethical rules and due process,” Jefferson explains.
“That’s what you would expect of the highest deliberative body in the world. That’s certainly what you would expect from Democrats who always tout themselves as the champions of fairness and non-discrimination.”
For Pelosi and some others, the evidence reported by the FBI appears to be damaging enough, including admissions by former staff and business associates that they assisted in bribing the Congressman and $90,000 in marked bills found in his home freezer.
“Giving him the benefit of the doubt for a long time, our Caucus had chosen not to take any action,” Pelosi says.
“Then, it became clear that perhaps for temporary arrangements anyway, Mr. Jefferson should step off the Ways and Means Committee, deal with his issues, then come back with his full seniority in tack. Every step of the way we were trying to be protective of Mr. Jefferson’s rights.”
Watt is not persuaded.
“We need a standard. That’s what this is about. It’s not about whether Bill Jefferson is guilty or innocent. It’s about the fact that there is no historic precedent,” he says.
“There is no existing rule in fairness regarding a consistent rule that everybody knows will be applied to everybody in the same circumstance…If you don’t have that, then the majority will always make up the rules as they go along.”
The black caucus would do a lot better if they'd drop the secrecy and just come out and try to oust Jefferson.
Whatever happened to the last white guy who tried to join the black caucus anyhow?
Racists...
"Paging Congressman Delay"
"Congressman Murtha, Please pick up the yellow striped courtesy phone, please"
JC Watts?
ha! well - he declined joining. something about it being infested with democrat liberals...
Democrats have much at stake this election year. To win at least 15 House seats, a simple majority, could mean historic committee chairmanships for several members of the CBC, including Rangel, who would likely chair Ways and Means.
Jefferson says the eagerness for that power is one of the reasons behind the move to oust him.
“Nancy is overcome by this desire to be speaker so much until she’s getting close to losing her soul over these matters,” Jefferson says in an interview with the NNPA News Service.
“Whatever she thinks is going to help to get there, she’s just stepping over it to get there.”
Pelosi insists that her only motive is to uphold high ethical standards for the House.
----
No love lost here between Pelosi and Jefferson,, lol
Love the matching holes in both their feet..
BLAM! BLAM!
Can't wait til the June 15th vote and the House floor debate.
Congressional Black Caucus? Isn't that non-pc. Shouldn't it be: Congressional African-American Caucus?
The klan with a tan.
My thinking is that Representative Willaim Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana knows that his ass is grass.
He is holding out for the people who have clout to cut a deal on his behalf. If he leaves without a deal to cop a plea for a lesser crime, then he has no negotiating strength.
He has one card to play (his embarrassment of the democrat party) and he is going to push all his chips in and bet that some of the "powerful people" will arrange a more comfortable lodging for him in prison.
Excerpts from interview with Rep. Pelosi
Q: As you know, there’s been some friction between [Rep.] Rahm Emanuel [D-Ill.] and Howard Dean, especially on fundraising. The Republican National Committee has a major fundraising advantage [over the Democratic National Committee (DNC)], and that can severely affect the effort to win back the House this fall. Do you think [DNC Chairman] Howard Dean is doing a good job?
A: The issue that Rahm has with Howard Dean I think is a legitimate one. We’re exactly where we need to be. We’ve recruited the candidates, we’ve raised the issues and we have raised the money. We’re competitive with the Republicans for first time ever. … I’m saying if we don’t have enough money to counter the deluge of money from the Republican National Committee then it’s a problem for us and Rahm is correct to point that out.
Q: What were some of the lessons you learned — this is your second election as leader — from 2004? What went right? What went wrong?
A: It’s two different elections altogether. … When I first became leader, we were putting together our ideas. People said to me, “It doesn’t matter. Nobody’s going to care. It’s only about the presidential,” and they were right. … But this is a completely different race, and I always analyze elections one race at a time.
Q: Would you like Rahm to stay on as chairman [of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee]?
A: I probably see Rahm’s family in my office more than he sees them because of all the travel that he has to do. … I have a feeling his wife is counting the days.
Q: If you do in fact win the House, [Steny] Hoyer will be majority leader. Who will be whip?
A: You know what? We have to win the House first. I’m even hard put to say what our agenda will be when we win, so I’m not certainly going into the politics of the caucus, that is as unimportant an issue to me right now as it could be.
Q: There’s been some headlines about your counterpart in the Senate, Sen. Harry Reid [D-Nev.]. Do you think there’s anything he did wrong there, or are the Republicans trying to play politics?
A: I think it’s the Republicans trying to play politics. I think they dug and dug and dug and dug and that’s all they could come up with. Harry Reid is a person of faith and integrity, and I wouldn’t mess with him near a boxing ring.
Q: But Senator [John] McCain [R-Ariz.] did [reimburse for boxing tickets] differently. …
A: I don’t know that he did it differently. I have absolutely no idea what the facts are there. I just don’t know. So I don’t want to go into what Senator McCain did or what whoever did. … But that is nothing [compared to the allegations about GOP corruption]. That’s quite a different thing than if someone handled boxing tickets correctly.
Q: There’s a lot of speculation about [House Speaker] Dennis Hastert [R-Ill.], whether he’ll stay or go. Do you see any end in sight for you?
A:No.
Q: Why?
A: Why would I even talk about such a thing?
Q: Well a lot of the members say they’d like to see their grandchildren more… But you see no end in sight?
A: The question is — we have to win, we have to achieve the goal. … I have absolutely no intention of engaging any conversation about when I’m leaving. I haven’t even gotten there yet.
Q: Are you concerned with the Congressional Black Caucus [about Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.)]? Could that end up being a problem if you were ever Speaker, in the sense they will control four committee chairs, maybe even five?
A: I have a very long and serious and deep relationship with members of the Congressional Black Caucus. I feel comfortable when I go to that caucus, as I do any place in politics. We have shared values. We’ve worked hard on issues for many, many years. Some of us go back 30 years. … In these kinds of situations, people have to do what they have to do.
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/061306/news2.html
Gee, if they get rid of Jefferson, the Democratic House will be crook free.
These guys would do well to completely forget about color and just do the right thing and toss William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana.
The best thing they could EVER do is get rid of that thief...
" Look, I had 90 large ones in my freezer because I was helping out a distinguished foreign dignitary."
"What happened was I got an email from Nigerian General Kachinga Cheatchusuckah who had a problem."
"Now, once Gen Cheatchusuckah transfers Idi Amin's secret Ugandan gold
reserves from the Swiss bank vault into a refrigerated truck I leased, it will all make sense."
[singing] "well, we're movin' on up..."
Of all the topics about Jefferson's suspension, this one seems to be unique.
Let's see... it's mid-June... midterm elections are in less than five months... actually, twenty weeks from Tuesday... the Dhimmicrats are going to hold on like grim death to Pelosi until after the elections, which are not going to go well for her party of the single party state, particularly after Jefferson's come-uppance (which has just begun).
If Pelosi survives (dumping her derriere' would bring about negative feedback from the Dim-Wimmen's Caucus in the House), she'll probably be good for another eighteen months, then be dumped and scapegoated ahead of the presidential election year.
BTW, it seems like it's always an election year. ;')
[the subtitle on this one is interesting!!!]
Demos vote Jefferson off panel
Full House will now decide on removal
Friday, June 16, 2006
By Bruce Alpert
Washington bureau
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/115044080132460.xml
William Jefferson Criminal - put some ice on it.
William Jefferson Criminal - put it on ice.
Cheer up, there's still Cynthia McKinney. She may have have gotten away with slugging a cop, but she's been a national embarrassment so many times, you know she'll find another way to put her foot in her mouth before Election Day. Judging from what I've heard Georgians say about how she used to be, McKinney is the Peter Principle in action.
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