Posted on 06/05/2007 12:42:17 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Republicans moved Tuesday to seek Rep. William J. Jefferson's expulsion from the House, a day after the Louisiana Democrat was indicted on charges of receiving more than $500,000 in bribes.
Jefferson, meanwhile, relinquished his seat on the House Small Business Committee before members of his own party could vote to kick him off the panel.
In a two-paragraph letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), Jefferson, 60, said he was taking the step "in the light of recent developments in a legal matter."
Republicans, citing Pelosi's election-season promise to run the most ethical House in history, sought Jefferson's expulsion from the chamber, possibly before he comes to trial on the bribery charges.
Republican Minority Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio was pushing for a vote later Tuesday on a resolution to bar Jefferson from serving on any House committee and to direct the ethics committee to decide by July 11 whether the allegations in the indictment merit his expulsion, according to a partial draft of the document obtained by The Associated Press.
The final draft may not include a specific deadline by which the ethics committee must rule, according to a Republican leadership aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because the resolution had not been finalized.
It's unusual for the House in a resolution to specifically instruct the ethics committee to report whether a member's expulsion is warranted. Usually such resolutions leave it to the committee to recommend appropriate sanctions after its investigation.
An ethics committee probe seemed certain. Pelosi, D-Calif., later Tuesday was expected to name 10 House Democrats to a pool from which the House ethics committee can pick if it decides to appoint a special subcommittee to investigate the charges against Jefferson, a Democratic leadership aide said. The aide demanded anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made public.
A grand jury in Alexandria, Va., indicted Jefferson on Monday on 16 counts connected to a bribery investigation that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. The charges include racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 235 years.
The indictment said Jefferson received more than $500,000 in bribes and sought millions more in separate schemes to enrich himself by using his office to broker business deals in Africa. The charges came almost two years after investigators raided Jefferson's home in Washington and found $90,000 in cash stuffed in his freezer.
Jefferson's lawyer has declared his client innocent.
In his letter Tuesday to Pelosi, Jefferson said his resignation from the Small Business Committee, was in the spirit of her leadership on ethics issues.
"In doing so, I, of course, express no admission of guilt or culpability in that or any other matter that may be pending in any court or before the House of Representatives," Jefferson added. "I have supported every ethics and lobbying reform measure that you and our Democratic Majority have authored."
After the FBI had found $90,000 in cash in Jefferson's freezer and alleged that stash was bribe money nearly two years ago, Pelosi succeeded in stripping Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee — over Jefferson's objection.
The congressman, who represents part of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, was then re-elected in November to a ninth term in the House. Opening the 110th Congress as House Speaker this year, Pelosi granted him the seat on the Small Business Committee.
___
Associated Press reporter Larry Margasak contributed to this report.
Representative William Jefferson (D-LA) speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this September 15, 2005 file photo. Jefferson was indicted on June 4, 2007 on 16 criminal counts for conspiring to solicit bribes and pay off a Nigerian official, with $90,000 of an intended bribe found hidden in his home freezer wrapped in aluminum foil. REUTERS/Chris Kleponis/Files (UNITED STATES)
U.S. Attorney Chuck Rosenberg (L) is joined by Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher (R) as they announce the indictment of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) on 16 counts of public corruption, including bribery, in Washington, June 4, 2007. Jefferson was indicted on Monday on 16 criminal counts for conspiring to solicit bribes and pay off a Nigerian official, with $90,000 of an intended bribe found hidden in his home freezer wrapped in aluminum foil. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)
Go, Boehner! You asked for the job, now prove to us that you really deserve it.
Nancy Pelosi campaigned on the issue of the culture of corruption. Does she think that only Republicans have done things that are corrupt or criminal?
Jefferson should resign his House Seat just as Cunningham, Ney and DeLay did right after they were indicted.
Evidently 'Old Freezer Bag' hasn't quite comprehended that his spinning days are over.
Clearly, this is a case of racism. The FBI planted the money in Jefferson’s freezer. See, anytime a black man makes it in this society the white man has gotta take him down.
This is Al Sharpton’s take.
Sharpton, by the way, still claims the FBI video of Al offering to sell drugs for money was merely a case of him going along so he could become a spy on the bad guys.
What a world.
And I hope he does request Jefferson’s expulsion. But he should not have to; Jefferson should resign. Chances? None.
No deal. Take him down and do it fast. No deal.
‘Republican Minority Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio was pushing for a vote later Tuesday on a resolution to bar Jefferson from serving on any House committee and to direct the ethics committee to decide by July 11 whether the allegations in the indictment merit his expulsion, according to a partial draft of the document obtained by The Associated Press. ‘
Excellent politics, Mr Boehner. Get the Democrats on record not doing a thing about this miscreant.
He might take down the entire black caucus.
Its not like Do Nothing Nancy can’t find another corrupt DemoGraft to take his place. Wonder how much Levy Money he stole before the flood??
Pray for W and Our Troops
From 2004...
Congressional Black Caucus's Ties to Aristide Questioned
Follow the money....
He best make sure his insurance is paid up if he does that. That dude will end up in a ditch in Arkansas with 69 bullets in his back.
And the medical examiner will rule it a suicide.
Hastert like a damn fool sought to shield the dirt-bag from Justice.
The Justice Dept takes until now to nail this crook. Are the re-pubs retarded at politics?
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