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06-04-2007, 02:06 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Washington, D.C.
Posts: 2,155
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9 Term Congressman Jefferson indicted on bribery charges
Quote:
Congressman Jefferson Indicted on Bribery Charges
Monday, June 04, 2007
WASHINGTON — Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted Monday on 16 counts related to a long-running bribery investigation on counts including racketeering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
The indictment was handed up in U.S. District Court in Alexandria. A press conference is scheduled for for later Monday in Washington to discuss the case.
The 94-page indictment is more than an inch thick, and Jefferson could face a maximum indictment of more than 230 years.
Almost two years ago, in August 2005, investigators raided Jefferson's home in Louisiana and found $90,000 in cash stuffed into a box in his freezer.
Jefferson, 63, whose Louisiana district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case publicly but has maintained his innocence. He was re-elected last year despite the looming investigation.
Jefferson, in Louisiana on Monday, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Two of Jefferson's associates have already struck plea bargains with prosecutors and have been sentenced.
Brett Pfeffer, a former congressional aide, admitted soliciting bribes on Jefferson's behalf and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Another Jefferson associate, Louisville, Ky., telecommunications executive Vernon Jackson, pleaded guilty to paying between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes to Jefferson in exchange for his assistance securing business deals in Nigeria and other African nations. Jackson was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.
Both Pfeffer and Jackson agreed to cooperate in the case against Jefferson in exchanges for their pleas.
The impact of the case has stretched across continents and even roiled presidential politics in Nigeria. According to court records, Jefferson told associates that he needed cash to pay bribes to the country's vice president, Atiku Abubakar.
Abubakar denied the allegations, which figured prominently in that country's presidential elections in April. Abubakar ran for the presidency and finished third.
Court records indicate that Jefferson was videotape taking a $100,000 cash bribe from an FBI informant. Most of that money later turned up in a freezer in Jefferson's home.
In May 2006, the FBI raided Jefferson's congressional office, the first such raid on a sitting congressman's Capitol office. That move sparked a constitutional debate over whether the executive branch stepped over its boundary.
The legality of the raid is still being argued on appeal. House leaders objected to the search saying it was an unconstitutional intrusion on the lawmaking process. The FBI said the raid was necessary because Jefferson and his legal team had failed to respond to requests for documents.
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06-04-2007, 02:29 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Atlanta area
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Corruption in New Orleans and Louisiana? Noooooo, it couldn't possible happen there.
What actually is surprising the the length of time this took, or at least it's surprising to me.
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06-04-2007, 02:36 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Greater New York
Posts: 4,535
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yeah it is corrupt, but the House leaders might be technically right about the un/constitionality of the exec. branch on the leg. branch
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Love Conquers All
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06-04-2007, 02:48 PM
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Super Moderator
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Posts: 18,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RU OX Alum
yeah it is corrupt, but the House leaders might be technically right about the un/constitionality of the exec. branch on the leg. branch
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I'm not sure how illegal activity could ever come within the scope of the legislative privilege.
But I haven't had that class yet
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06-08-2007, 03:21 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Kansas City, Kansas USA
Posts: 23,583
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Good, I hope this will open up the gates for more of the duly elected crooks!
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