Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

GOP objects to Jefferson appointment
AP on Yahoo ^ | 2/16/07 | Devlin Barrett - ap

Posted on 02/16/2007 5:39:03 PM PST by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), who stripped embattled Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) of his seat on a powerful tax committee last year, has decided to put him on the Homeland Security panel, infuriating some Republicans who charge he may be a security risk.

Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, was kicked off the Ways and Means Committee amid a federal bribery probe, yet still won re-election to a ninth term.

Pelosi is giving him a seat on the panel after Jefferson was outspoken in his criticism of the homeland security agencies that responded to Hurricane Katrina. His appointment must still be formally approved by the rest of the House Democrats.

The decision immediately came under fire from the top Republican on the committee, Rep. Peter King (news, bio, voting record).

"It sends a terrible message," King, R-N.Y., said Friday. "They couldn't trust him to write tax policy, so why should he be given access to our nation's top secrets or making policy for national defense?"

"Members of the committee have access to intelligence secrets, plots here in the country, overseas, and people under suspicion. This shows how unimportant the Democrats think homeland security is," King said.

Jefferson's chief of staff, Eugene Green, called King's criticism "ridiculous and just politics."

"Representing New Orleans as he does, we're very concerned as to what happened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina," said Green. "It's just natural for the congressman to serve his constituents on a committee of this nature."

Jefferson, 59, is the subject of a federal investigation into whether he accepted bribes related to a telecommunications deal in Africa. The FBI's evidence against him includes $90,000 found in his freezer — fodder for late-night talk show jokes — but not funny to Pelosi, who had promised to run the most ethical Congress in history.

Pelosi stripped Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee over objections from some members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Meanwhile, the FBI's raid of Jefferson's congressional office ran afoul of lawmakers; Pelosi and then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert succeeded in having the seized material sealed, where it remains pending the outcome of Jefferson's legal challenge.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: appointment; coldcash; gop; jefferson; objects; williamjefferson
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: NormsRevenge

Billy the Kid, John Derringer, Al Capone, John Gotti, Lee Harvey Oswald and John Wayne Gacy all wish that Pelosi was Speaker in THEIR day.

Instead of dying in jail or outright killed in a gun battle, they might have been given an important government job.

No wonder the Mexicans are coming here in droves - they have a leg up on ordinary Americans; they're already illegal, law breaking invaders.


21 posted on 02/16/2007 6:47:53 PM PST by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: msnimje

"I think it is great. He will fall farther and harder when convicted."

Your dreaming ... he will NEVER be convicted. Especially with the dems in control.


22 posted on 02/16/2007 6:50:32 PM PST by MaDeuce (Do it to them, before they do it to you! (MaDeuce = John Browning's gift to freedom))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MaDeuce
Your dreaming ... he will NEVER be convicted. Especially with the dems in control.

The dems are in charge of law enforcement?
23 posted on 02/16/2007 7:00:56 PM PST by msnimje (The ONLY Republican Candidate with ONE wife is Romney, the Mormon. Go figure.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: msnimje

How come he isn't in jail?


24 posted on 02/16/2007 7:16:11 PM PST by EQAndyBuzz (The Clintons: A Malignant Malfeasance of the Most Morbid)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Calpernia; All

Hmmmmm......I would have beat feet to my house after Katrina too if I was Jefferson....

http://news.com.com/RFID+chips+used+to+track+dead+after+Katrina/2100-11390_3-5869708.html


25 posted on 02/16/2007 7:22:00 PM PST by musicman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: musicman

How does an RFID chip help identify a cadaver AFTER he is dead? Unless they were implanted BEFORE they died? And they didn't know it?


26 posted on 02/16/2007 7:29:51 PM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Calpernia

They didn't know who some dead people were. They put the info on where they found them and such,(almost like a cat or a dog), "chipped" 'em, and stuck them back in the freezers and cold storage, and had all the info on a data base. They then could be moved around and still be able to take a "reader" and instantly have the info without losing or getting any paperwork mixed up.

Supposedly, it was a BIG success, made VeriChip a very impressive vendor to our gubmint, and when the time comes that the gubmint needs them again ( say for ID purposes like Socialized health care, immigrant ID, or "pay with your chip" cuz there ain't no more cash...little things like that) they are already geared up for it and will get the "contract".

(...I wonder if Jefferson gets a "percentage" of each "sale".....)

....Nah......


27 posted on 02/16/2007 7:55:36 PM PST by musicman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: EQAndyBuzz
How come he isn't in jail?

He is black and he is a Democrat.
28 posted on 02/16/2007 8:22:57 PM PST by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: msnimje
"The dems are in charge of law enforcement?"

Basically these days .... yes.

This investigation will be shut down quietly and the matter will not be heard of again within the next year.

Where did the McKinny or Patrick Kennedy investigations go? How did they end up?

The ones who need to worry are the FBI agents running the Jefferson investigation ... they will somehow be discredited, demoted or fired from the FBI for some "minor" infraction unrelated to the Jefferson case.
29 posted on 02/17/2007 4:27:04 AM PST by MaDeuce (Do it to them, before they do it to you! (MaDeuce = John Browning's gift to freedom))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
I hope Limbaugh's feeling better and back on Monday.

He'll have a field day with this....

30 posted on 02/17/2007 4:29:58 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: musicman

Way back when I was in labs, that is what toe tags were for.

Yes he does get a percentaged. If you go to this post:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1635819/posts?page=27#27

You will see down towards the footer, "NetLink Enterprises, Inc. has teamed up with ShareASale"

ShareaSale is used by MultiLevel Marketers and Affiliate Sales.

Everone that has a financial interest gets a percentage but remains distanced by their own business names.


31 posted on 02/17/2007 5:26:57 AM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: msnimje
He will fall farther and harder when convicted.

Sounds like they may have deliberately avoided doing this in D.C. If the case goes to trial in Virginia, your prediction is likely to come true.

32 posted on 02/17/2007 7:15:37 AM PST by freespirited (Demand perfection, get Hillary.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson