Louisiana representative indicted on a multitude of federal charges

[hockeybeat]

Jury Indicts Jefferson in Bribery Probe

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
The Associated Press
Monday, June 4, 2007; 2:26 PM

WASHINGTON -- Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted Monday on federal charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering in a long-running bribery investigation into business deals he tried to broker in Africa.

The indictment handed up in federal court in Alexandria., Va., Monday is 94 pages long and lists 16 alleged violations of federal law that could keep Jefferson in prison for up to 235 years, according to a Justice Department official who has seen the document.

Among the charges listed in the indictment, said the official, are racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money-laundering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes for himself and his family, and also for bribing a Nigerian official.

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.

Some but not all the documents seized in the raid have been turned over Justice Department prosecutors.

__

Associated Press writer Cain Burdeau in New Orleans contributed to this report.

© 2007 The Associated Press

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/04/AR2007060400714.html?referrer=email

 

[zeke12]

Dollar Bill likes, cold, hard cash.

 

[DanOregon]

Good - what's the over/under on when he says the indictment is "politically" motivated...

 

[outofplace]

Good - what's the over/under on when he says the indictment is "politically" motivated...

Even if it is, that doesn't mean he did nothing wrong.

Welcome to Louisiana politics.

 

[zeke12]

I'm pretty sure the guys who bribed him were convicted of doing so.

That won't work in his favor, I don't imagine.

 

[slappy4428]

Surprised it took this long.

 

[DanOregon]

The DOJ has been preoccupied lately

 

[friend of a friend]

Wait a minute. A corrupt politician? In Louisiana?

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Thanks for playing, Bill.
We have some lovely parting gifts for you.
And Allenwood is lovely in the fall.

 

[alleyallen]

Not that he'd get it, but a potential 235-year sentence? Yowza!

 

[GB-Hack]

Not that he'd get it, but a potential 235-year sentence? Yowza!

One thing that makes me laugh are possible sentances like this.

Of course, he's eligible for parole after five.

 

[Armchair_QB]

But doesn't everybody keep their spare cash in the freezer?

 

[sportschick]

But doesn't everybody keep their spare cash in the freezer?

No. I keep mine in the box spring.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Yes, congressman, your account is still open with us.

 

[Football_Bat]

I'm surprised our resident nitwits haven't chimed in gleefully with "See? See? Democrats are crooks too!" not realizing the previous seven Congressmen to be investigated for corruption were Republicans.

And guess who gets sentenced to federal PMITA today? Coincidental timing? Perhaps.

 

[slappy4428]

But doesn't everybody keep their spare cash in the freezer?

Spare what now?

 

[cake in the rain]

Not that he'd get it, but a potential 235-year sentence? Yowza!

One thing that makes me laugh are possible sentances like this.

Of course, he's eligible for parole after five.

There's no parole in the federal system.

 

[alleyallen]

But doesn't everybody keep their spare cash in the freezer?

Spare what now?

We're journalists. We don't have spare cash enough to fill a soda can, let alone a freezer.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Here's my wallet, where I keep my spare cash.

 

[User 1019]

I'm surprised our resident nitwits haven't chimed in gleefully with "See? See? Democrats are crooks too!" not realizing the previous seven Congressmen to be investigated for corruption were Republicans.

And guess who gets sentenced to federal PMITA today? Coincidental timing? Perhaps.

This is where I reiterate my "all-politicians-are-sleazy" stance.