."cold cash" Jefferson
Posted on 07/19/2006 10:44:08 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - A federal judge said Wednesday that investigators could examine documents seized in a search of Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record)'s office, denying a request to delay the bribery probe while the Louisiana Democrat appeals the judge's earlier ruling that the search was legal.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas F. Hogan said granting the delay "would harm the public's interest in a prompt and final outcome of the government's investigation of serious crimes involving a sitting United States congressman running for re-election in November."
Last week, Hogan rejected arguments by Jefferson and House leaders in both parties that the May 20-21 search of Jefferson's congressional office violated the Constitution's protections against intimidation of elected officials.
For 16 months, investigators have been looking into whether the congressman promoted the sale of telecommunications equipment and services in exchange for stock and cash.
At issue is whether a review of the seized documents can begin by an FBI "filter team" unconnected to the prosecution team looking into bribery allegations. Jefferson contends no one in the executive branch of government should examine the documents until the question of returning the material to Jefferson is resolved on appeal.
Hogan's latest ruling also can be appealed.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has directed that any review of documents by the filter team not begin until July 27 to give judges time to consider Jefferson's call for a delay.
The appeal of the decision that the search was legal could take several months, the Justice Department has said in arguing against the delay.
The 45 day waiting period was simply to allow the bigger fish to destroy ,alter and manufacture evidence which would exculpate them.
After the way Tom Delay was pursued on trumped up charges of money laundering, one would figure that the Pubbies would roll up this criminal operation without the need for a "special " prosecutor. Instead Bush reined Gonzales in when he had 'em all cold, hands down! This was a mistake which will haunt the Bush administration for years to come.
Nancy Pelosi is deeply disturbed.
He was the one out of 535 that was stupid enough to get caught. I suspect that in excess of 90% are as guilty as he is.
Come to think of it, there have been a few lately including Cunningham.
."cold cash" Jefferson
Geeze, I hope this RAT goes down....HARD!
When did elected memebers of congress become privileged elite? When did they rise above the law? -- the same law that applies to me and to other ordinary citizens? On the face of things, it looks like this guy, Jefferson, is one big time crook. Circumstances may change, of course, but, until they do, I want him subject to the same law enforcement procedures that I would be subject to! If he gets a "pass," I want every other ordinary citizen to get the same "pass."
Glad to see this. We mustn't tolerate such abuses of the public trust.
If you want to have a dictatorship in this country, just allow judges to send in the cops to raid the Congress.
The line needs to be drawn!
William Jefferson Crook belongs in jail.
The ethics committee should wait until he has been tried in a court of law, or at least wait until he is indicted for a crime.
The justice department is gathering the necessary evidence with which to do that. They are being extremely careful with how they proceed because they don't want to give the courts and reasons to create some new privilege for Congress that could result in keeping them from being investigated.
If he resigns, he'd be replaced by another Dem with similar politics until he could be replaced through an election. Those he represents are pretty much getting what they voted for, and he'll likely be less corrupt than his replacement simply because no one will go near him to attempt to bribe him with the investigation going on.
The justice department is taking this slow and steady and making sure they don't make any mistakes that could allow the evidence to be suppressed. They'll get this slime ball, and hopefully pull down a number of his associates as well in the process.
Pooper Held As Probe Widens
Movin' on up!
I'm looking forward to Rush's weekly reports from now thru the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November regarding the progress in the case against William Jefferson, Democrat, Louisiana.
"The Congressional Black Caucus has some real winners. McKinney punches policemen and this idiot hides dubiously-acquired money in his freezer. Where does that kind of thinking come from?"
Mad Maxine Waters!
"Just another DC crook....what's up with these people? OH, I know...they're above the laws that us peons' are under."
Oh, do you mean such trivial things as law makers who can increase the taxes on you and me but who secrete 650 Million + bucks in Fiji where U.S. laws can't touch that fortune? That would be the Swimmer.
The corrupt dems .. of course!
I FORGOT Mad Maxine! How could I have left her out? A woman who is so stupid she probably had to be taught how to breathe.
I wasn't aware that the Constitution mentions anything about "intimidating elected officials". Is this some kind of joke?
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