Congressman Jefferson Indicted on Bribery Charges

[Mr.Vicchio]

FOXNews.com - Congressman Jefferson Indicted on Bribery Charges - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

WASHINGTON — Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted Monday on 16 counts related to a long-running bribery investigation on charges including bribery, racketeering, obstruction of justice and money laundering. The indictment was handed up in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. A press conference is scheduled for later Monday in Washington to discuss the case.

This was the guy that used the national Guard after Katrina to remove evidence from his house.

[Milton Bradley]

Congressman charged with taking bribes around the world - CNN.com

Quote by: CNN link international graft charges U.S. Rep. William Jefferson has been charged with soliciting bribes and obstructing justice in a corruption scam spanning at least two continents, Justice Department officials said Monday. He allegedly sought bribes from government and business officials in a string of countries including Nigeria and Botswana. "This case is about greed, power and arrogance," said Joe Persichini, director of the FBI's Washington field office

Hmmm, that sounds about like your average Democrat, or Republican.

[bishop]

Quote by: Milton Bradley Hmmm, that sounds about like your average Democrat, or Republican.

sure does..

i'd be willing to bet that if we could have third party investigators with no connection whatsoever to the political establishment - that they'd probably find that AT LEAST half of the people in government have violated ethics rules and/or the law.

[Apeman81]

AH. The culture of corruption. Oh wait, that doesn't apply to Jefferson's side of the aisle.

Or so we are told

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: bishop sure does.. i'd be willing to bet that if we could have third party investigators with no connection whatsoever to the political establishment - that they'd probably find that AT LEAST half of the people in government have violated ethics rules and/or the law.

I would go as far as to tell you I think that's a conservative estimate, but then I'm a cynical as they come.

[Osborn F Enready]

So let me guess....

16 counts of various crimes of corruption will amount to 45 days in a plush "correctional" facility, right next to Paris Hilton?!?

I can't wait to see what is claimed as "justice" for this case.....

[The Decider]

Quote by: Apeman81 AH. The culture of corruption. Oh wait, that doesn't apply to Jefferson's side of the aisle. Or so we are told

Apeman, how many Democratic legislators were indicted (much less convicted) during the past 6 years of Republican rule? How many Republicans?

Your party had its opportunities!

If guilty, Jefferson should be imprisoned. Period.

[bishop]

Quote by: Milton Bradley I would go as far as to tell you I think that's a conservative estimate, but then I'm a cynical as they come.

i did say "at least" you know.

it's a little amusing how the republicans here seem to be gloating. have they forgotten how many of their party's members have recently been indicted/convicted? people in glass houses and all that stuff.......

[Osborn F Enready]

Man, if only glass houses were the case in reality.....

These people would be glass-shard riddled pieces of meat by now......

(but you know they would make a law that politicians glass houses must be made of safety-glass, actors (candy glass) or something that would protect their sorry behinds from the RESPONSIBILITY they swear in under oath to......)

[bishop]

why people would so quickly jump to cry foul on the opposition party while ignoring the long record of corruption within their own party is beyond me.. an honest person, imo, would just own up and say that they're all corrupt sob's.. but then again, i'm not a partisan of their kind.

to ignore the faults and crimes of one party, as you vote them into power, is to both lie to yourself and do a great disservice to your nation as far as i'm concerned. apparently/unfortunately, most people don't share that perspective.

[Osborn F Enready]

(Osborn retires to the sidelines in applause of Bishops answer)

'nuff said.

[Milton Bradley]

Bishops post speaks to the finger pointing rhoutine so common in "partisan politics".


I guess that is the only kind of rhetoric recognized by the vast majority of pundits, news agencies, and fellow finger pointers.


Having never participated in such things, I can't speak to the "fun factor" in behaving in such a manor, but you would think somebody on the inside would point out what fools thay appear to be. ( If only so they could work on the cheerleading rhoutine a little more in an effort to make it marginably believable. )

[Apeman81]

Quote by: bishop why people would so quickly jump to cry foul on the opposition party while ignoring the long record of corruption within their own party is beyond me.. an honest person, imo, would just own up and say that they're all corrupt sob's.. but then again, i'm not a partisan of their kind. to ignore the faults and crimes of one party, as you vote them into power, is to both lie to yourself and do a great disservice to your nation as far as i'm concerned. apparently/unfortunately, most people don't share that perspective.

Exactly my point. Nancy and crew were most verbose in accusing only one side of corruption, even after this story first surfaced in its infant stage.

As for a "third" party sweeping in to clean up the town, well, that's far easier said than done. Would this neophyte party "change the way things are done around here", or just change who's doing those things?

It's not the party one's affiliated with, it's the mountain of opportunity to slide from contribution to bribe. The money is necessary because what you do is meaningless to the American masses that make up the electorate, it's what you say, and more importantly, who you get to say it about you (read media, Hollywood, glitterati) that makes or breaks an election. And money is the grease that turns the wheel.

So look in the mirror and look at your neighbor. Ask why we keep putting clowns into office. Ask why we give a single rat's ass about what someone who's job it is to pretend to be someone else says. Ask why we march dutifully to the drum of the evening news.

While you're at it, ask why our kids receive so little information of American History. Ask why economics is only an elective at the college level.

Too many questions with too few asking them.

[brien]

It is about time he was indicted. What took so long? Now, we should wait to see the man convicted in court before we call for his resignation. I must say though, with $90 k in marked bills in his freezer, that is very damning evidence of poltical corruption. But he does deserve his trial, and he is presumed innocent, before he is found guilty in a court of law by a jury of his peers. If he is found not guilty, then so be it.

[bishop]

Quote by: Apeman81 Exactly my point. Nancy and crew were most verbose in accusing only one side of corruption, even after this story first surfaced in its infant stage. As for a "third" party sweeping in to clean up the town, well, that's far easier said than done. Would this neophyte party "change the way things are done around here", or just change who's doing those things? <snip> So look in the mirror and look at your neighbor. Ask why we keep putting clowns into office. Ask why we give a single rat's ass about what someone who's job it is to pretend to be someone else says. Ask why we march dutifully to the drum of the evening news.

pray tell - whose candidacy are you supporting in the upcoming elections? another member of the corrupt establishment?

if so, then - pot, kettle, black.

[Apeman81]

Quote by: bishop pray tell - whose candidacy are you supporting in the upcoming elections? another member of the corrupt establishment? if so, then - pot, kettle, black.

Confrontation in the face of general agreement? Interesting.

Whoever I decide to vote for will not, and cannot, be determined by me alone. You and I will have the Hobson's choice of whoever is lifted up by the machine that is at present. The place to change the world of politics is not the national stage

Now, as to who I would like to see in the position, well, that's a hypothetical. As such, it bears no weight

[The Decider]

Quote by: Apeman81 Exactly my point. Nancy and crew were most verbose in accusing only one side of corruption, even after this story first surfaced in its infant stage.

Apeman, your party has controlled Congress for most of the last six years. How many Democratic representatives were indicted and convicted compared to Republicans? It's a simple question.

[Apeman81]

Quote by: The Decider Apeman, your party has controlled Congress for most of the last six years. How many Democratic representatives were indicted and convicted compared to Republicans? It's a simple question.

Just remember, kool-aid is best sipped slowly.

Since you want to make this a party thing, you may wish to examine the comparative use of the indictment as a political tool. Compare the indictment to conviction ratios. Heck, you could even compare the indictment to resignation ratio to see who is more or less inclined to avoid trial.

Do as you wish. Provide your own answer and embarrass me. Or yourself. I have a feeling you do not have a clear answer, and that such an answer may surprise.

But please, keep quaffing. Remember to avoid the color mustache, however.

[Jason]

Amazing how his district re-elected him after the FBI discovered the $90,000 in his Capitol Hill freezer. Sad, really.

[rcne]

As a shareholder in the now defunct I-Gate (Vern Jackson who bribed him - part of that 90,000 in the freezer was mine), I am waiting for this case to finally be exposed.

And as for the other investigations mentioned by Bishop - bring them all to trial. Nancy's claim to end the corruption starts now. We shall see.