Posted on 12/10/2006 2:27:26 PM PST by Ellesu
WASHINGTON In awarding Rep. William Jefferson a new lease on his political life, Louisiana voters this weekend also saddled Nancy Pelosi with another ethics dilemma as she prepares to become the new Democratic speaker of the House. Jefferson won a runoff election Saturday despite being dogged by a federal corruption investigation and FBI allegations that he had $90,000 in bribe money in his freezer. The 9-term Democrat has not been charged with any crime and has denied he did anything wrong. But he returns to Washington under a cloud that will complicate Pelosi's vow to make this "the most honest, most open, and most ethical Congress in history." Democrats ran against a "culture of corruption" they said Republicans had fostered while in control of Congress. Election-day surveys showed that corruption and scandal were deciding factors in how people voted. The victory by Jefferson, the first black member of Congress from Louisiana since Reconstruction, forces Pelosi to weigh a pledge to run an ethical Congress against the influence of New Orleans' elected representative in Congress, particularly as the city recovers from the devastation of Katrina. And it renews calls for the creation of an independent ethics body to investigate behavior by members of Congress. "It's going to be quite a headache for the Democrats," Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said Sunday.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
another Democrat under FBI investigation, Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia, is in line to become chairman of a subcommittee that oversees the bureau's budget. Mollohan, whose personal finances have come under scrutiny, is now the top Democrat on the appropriations subcommittee that sets the budget for the Justice Department.
Talk about the fox and the henhouse
That line about the Office of Public Integrity was the only one that made me mad....
Like you....I don't want my money paying for more "departments or offices"...and WHO will decide who is on this committee???
If the pickers are the same ones that have chosen the 9/11 Commission and the ISG...it will be a total farce.
We have to let our Congresscritters know..both Houses "just say NO to the OPI!"
"Very clever! And, as Gumbo is a thrown-together seafood stew of sorts, very appropriate."
Hmm, except for the fact that gumbo tastes good.
I'll Patty Dunn of the HP Brd would do it faster than the FBI or the CIA!
I'll Patty Dunn of the HP Brd would do it faster than the FBI or the CIA!
You can say that again! Oh, wait, you already did. By the way, what WAS it you said?
Far from hurting Jefferson, the fact that he is a criminal actually, probably helped him get more votes from his fellow criminals in New Orleans.
To be fair, Denny Hastert was against the FBI serving the warrant before telling him too first.
Mr. Hastert was wrong and so was Ms. Pelosi.
Good post potlatch!
Bumperoo!
I forgot about my latest one, of her as the whip cracking speaker, when I posted that!
That is horse manure!!!! Ms Pelosi has nothing to do with the criminal justice system just as the idiot voters in LA have nothing to do with it! If William Jefferson (D-La) committed a crime, the Justice department needs to file charges against him and put his sorry a$$ in jail. When Ms Pelosi and the voters in LA realize that their loved one is in the clinker, that's when they will have a problem.......
The Whipster!
Over 7,000,000 graphics posted....
Lol, don't joke. It would be odd posting a foot, arm, leg, eye, etc.
What frosts me is that this line is repeated in all recent stories without saying that while the bribee denies any wrongdoing, the FBI has him on videotape accepting $100K from the briber who has already been convicted of that and is serving a 7-year prison term.
Sort of like animating de Vinci's notebook?
Bill Gates bought several of his notebooks at auction for about 28 million I believe
History Channel showed de Vinci's armored "tank", rotating volley gun (a machinegun +), robot on wheels, etc.
His drawing of birds in flight, water moving, horses running - exactly matches stop-frame movies
His eye could capture each "frame" accurately
Yes, he was brilliant.
http://www.visi.com/~reuteler/leonardo.html
Goodbye to the, "it's all about corruption", mantra!!!!
I've said something like that a few times on F.R. and gotten put in time out for a few days.
Like going to the box for a penelty in hockey I feel contrition and shame.
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