Redstate

Posted at 11:26am on Apr. 26, 2008 More Fingerpointing at Rep. Wm. Jefferson (D-LA) and Brother Mose

By Vladimir

In 2004, one of the partners of high-powered New Orleans law firm Adams and Reese was caught having transferred some $30 million from a clients' trust account into his personal Swiss bank account.

Not blogworthy.

Of course, this guy was a "gaming" specialist, and the alleged web of intrigue extends to former Governor and current Federal "guest" Edwin W. Edwards (D) and associates.

Not blogworthy.

But this scrumptious little tidbit is buried in the article, which should be of interest to my fellow RedStaters: in the process of giving back the $30 million and getting right with Jesus, said barrister claimed knowledge of seven-figure bribes paid to Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) and his brother and partner-in-crime Mose Jefferson, with the intention of influencing Jefferson protege and disgraced former New Orleans DA Eddie Jordan. Furthermore, he alleges that the information was turned over to Federal prosecutors and ignored.

HI-YO! Please read on...

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Posted at 9:53pm on Apr. 1, 2008 In the Matter of Rep. Wm. Jefferson (D-LA): SCOTUS Declines to Review Appeal

By Vladimir

This appeal has to do with the fact that FBI agents removed documents from the Congressman's office. The other appeal, yet to be heard, has to do with the admissibility of grand jury testimony of Jefferson's Congressional staffers.

Administration Rebuffed on House Office Search

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration failed on Monday to persuade the Supreme Court to hear its argument that the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s highly unusual search of a Louisiana congressman’s office nearly two years ago was carried out properly.

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Posted at 1:14pm on Mar. 21, 2008 The Trial of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), Superdelegate

By Vladimir

Way cleared for Congressman Jefferson's appeal

Every man is entitled to his day in court. It's time Rep. William Jefferson of New Orleans, now the dean of Louisiana's congressional delegation and Superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, had his.

The issue that is under appeal is whether it was proper to question Jefferson's staffers as part of the grand jury inquiry into his, um, alleged ethical shortcomings. As I understand it, the case against him is not built upon the testimony of his staff; rather, a key piece of evidence seems to be the wads of FBI cash that were wrapped in Saran Wrap and stuffed into frozen green bean boxes in his freezer. No, the testimony of the staff was used to establish that Congressman Jefferson had been active in African trade legislation back in the 1990's, which supports, but is not central to the prosecution's case.

But when you're a Congressman trying to keep a death-grip on that sugar teat of a job and the local, state and national influence that goes along with it, prosecutorial abuse such as that suffered by the intrepid Congressman challenges the sacred principle of separation of powers that our country was founded upon, your honor, yes, even our beloved Constitution itself!

Blah, blah, blah, yaketa-schmaketa. More below the fold. Emphasis gleefully added.

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Posted at 12:00pm on Feb. 21, 2008 The Trial of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA): Judge's Ruling Appealed

By Vladimir

Appeal To Stall Jefferson Trial For Months

Well, this should make for an interesting election season. Let's just hope that the timing of Jefferson's trial, if it comes to that, doesn't interfere with his participation as a superdelegate at the Democratic convention. [Or, for that matter, the superdelegate status of Renee Gill-Pratt, part of the Jefferson coterie, and brother Mose Jefferson's main squeeze. Gill-Pratt is the ex-N.O. City Councilwoman who ended up driving a late-model SUV that FEMA thought it had donated to the city of New Orleans after Katrina, but that's a topic for a whole 'nother blog.]

Note that if Jefferson's contentions prevail (namely 1) that Congressmen can't be guilty of bribery unless they change their votes on the floor, and 2) that grand jury testimony of congressional staffers is a violation of the separation of powers), then our esteemed Congressional representatives will pretty much have a green light to participate in all kind of shenanigans without fear of prosecution.

...more...

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Posted at 1:29pm on Feb. 9, 2008 The U.S. vs Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA): The Pretrial Motions

By Vladimir

Judge Ellis, displaying common sense, rejects the notions that a) grand jury testimony by Congressional staffers violates the separation of powers; and II) Congressional bribery is possible even if the Congressman in question has not changed a vote to benefit the person paying the bribe.

Judge Ellis's rulings may be appealed to the 4th Circuit, in which case the Congressman's trial, currently scheduled to begin Feb. 25, will be delayed.

Judge Refuses to Drop Jefferson's Case
But trial delay likely if ruling appealed

Facing 16 bribery-related charges stemming from business deals in West Africa, Jefferson sought to unravel the government's case by claiming that some of the testimony provided to the grand jury by six current or former staffers violated the U.S. Constitution.

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Posted at 11:34pm on Feb. 1, 2008 Question: When is a Congressman not a Congressman?

By Vladimir

Answer: When he's a shakedown artist!

The question of what constitutes official actions by a congressman is a critical issue in the case. Jefferson's attorneys say that the bulk of the government's case, alleging that the congressman demanded payments to family members in return for his help in winning foreign contracts, doesn't represent bribery because they aren't part of the official duties of a congressman.

In a new development, prosecutors have agreed to refrain from using the Congresssman's nickname in open court, and to avoid referring to certain recent convictions in cases involving Dollar Bill's the Congressman's brother, Mose, in another public bribery case.

Jefferson Nickname Will Be Left Out of Trial
Prosecution won't call him 'Dollar Bill'

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Posted at 11:17pm on Jan. 18, 2008 Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA): "I know very little about criminal law."

By Vladimir

Jefferson Says FBI Agent Lied in Court
He also says officer watched him use bathroom

In a hearing before his scheduled Feb. 25 bribery trial in Alexandria, VA, Jefferson squandered what's left of his credibility:

Ellis issued no rulings, but did express skepticism at Jefferson's suggestion that he wasn't aware of his legal right to refuse to talk to the FBI. Lytle elicited from Jefferson the congressman's impressive legal resume, which includes degrees from Harvard and Georgetown University law schools, a stint as a clerk for a federal judge in New Orleans, time spent as a prosecutor for the Judge Advocate General and more than two decades in Congress.

Jefferson said the only criminal law course he took was at Harvard 35 years ago and said, "I know very little about criminal law."

Under questioning, Ellis discovered that Jefferson had taken the course from renowned criminal defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz.

"I doubt he would agree you only know a little about criminal law," Ellis said wryly.

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Posted at 10:02am on Jan. 17, 2008 Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA): "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me!"

By Vladimir

U.S. Representative William Jefferson, (D-LA2), is expected to testify in a hearing today on the admissibility of a mountain of evidence in his Federal bribery and corruption trial.

The central issue is whether the the court should allow evidence that was gathered during an early morning interview at Jefferson's home. The FBI says it was a conversation, their standard MO for gathering evidence in such a case. They say Jefferson willingly gave up the name of lobbyist James Creaghan, who has become a central figure and key government witness in the case.

Jefferson claims he was, in effect, under arrest during the interview. The Harvard Law graduate and former practicing attorney claims any evidence gathered is inadmissible because he was not advised of his Miranda rights.

Jefferson Angry at Prosecutors' Reference to Family Members

But, but, but...

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Posted at 9:50am on Jan. 8, 2008 More Details in the Sad Case of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)

By Vladimir

Feds Spell Out Names in Graft Case
Jefferson's wife, brother and son-in-law listed

Emphasis added. H/T LANewsLink.com

WorldSpace Inc., a company that provides satellite radio services to audiences outside the United States, signed a contract through its CEO, Noah Samara, with [William Jefferson's wife] Andrea Jefferson on behalf of her ANJ Group in 2002 for help getting satellite transmission services in three African nations. Samara, according to the Justice Department, told investigators that Rep. Jefferson had pressed him to sign the contract and that he believed it was a bribe solicitation. Andrea Jefferson, who along with her children, is listed as an owner of ANJ, could not be reached for comment. ... Samara told investigators that Jefferson offered to seek oil concessions from the government of Equatorial Guinea on Samara's behalf in return for favors, including stock in International Petroleum and the awarding of legal services to one of Jefferson's daughters. The daughter is not named.

Posted at 12:52pm on Dec. 31, 2007 Update on iGate-gate

By Vladimir

Here's the FBI's side of the story re: the early morning interview with FBI agents at the Congressman's Uptown New Orleans residence, the day he found out he was the subject of an FBI probe:

FBI used Subtle Tack With Jefferson

The Congressman, a Harvard Law graduate and former practicing attorney, claims the conversation should not be permissible in court because he was ignorant of his Miranda rights. Incredible.

Posted at 12:27pm on Dec. 24, 2007 Just Because It's Christmas: A Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) Update

By Vladimir

Enter James Creaghan and Noreen Wilson, unindicted coconspiators with intrepid Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson. The two are sure to be key players in Jefferson's upcoming bribery trial. Emphasis added throughout.

Jefferson's Help Had a Price, Feds Say

He is a former aide to the late Sen. Russell Long, D-La., who became an energy lobbyist. She is a Florida businesswoman who has invested in a number of struggling businesses with potential for big profits.

What James Creaghan and Noreen Wilson have in common, according to the Justice Department, is a reliance on U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, to help win contracts in western Africa. The government says that in return for that help, the congressman asked for compensation to a family member or companies controlled by his family.

In the department's June 4 indictment of Jefferson and a subsequent filing last month, the government alleges 13 bribery schemes by the nine-term congressman. Five of them are connected to either Creaghan or Wilson, or the two of them together.

They are listed by the Justice Department as unindicted co-conspirators and have testified before the Virginia grand jury that indicted Jefferson. Both are expected to be witnesses in Jefferson's trial, now slated for Feb. 25.

more...

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Posted at 10:07am on Dec. 20, 2007 Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) to testify

By Vladimir

Harvard Law grad and former practicing attorney William Jefferson claims he was taken advantage of by wily FBI agents who failed to properly Mirandize him prior to questioning him about his, er, business consulting practices.

One of the companies that was trying to secure communications franchises in Ghana and Nigeria is a Louisville-based company called iGate, Inc. Could this scandal be "iGate-gate"?

Posted at 10:25am on Dec. 15, 2007 Trial of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) Delayed

By Vladimir

Jefferson Attorneys Get Time to Prepare

A federal judge Friday gave Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, an additional six weeks to prepare for his public corruption trial after his attorneys complained about the large volume of evidence they must review.

U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III set Feb. 25 as the new date for a trial the Justice Department has estimated could last between three and six weeks. Jefferson's trial on multiple counts of racketeering, fraud and bribery had been slated for Jan. 16.

Posted at 7:15pm on Dec. 12, 2007 Nursing at the Public Teat: Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) et al

By Vladimir

In the New Orleans Gambit Weekly, a lengthy cover article on the Jefferson family of New Orleans, who have turned Nursing at the Public Teat into an art form. The story is worth telling and retelling as long as this embarrassment retains his Congressional seat.

The Rise and Fall of Bill Jefferson

Jefferson is scheduled to stand trial in northern Virginia on Jan. 16, despite a slew of pre-trial motions and a mountain of evidence to review before then "172,000 pages and roughly 2,000 secretly recorded conversations" although a last-minute delay is always possible. As the case moves toward a showdown, Jefferson has seen his iron grip on New Orleans politics, which extends back as long as his 17 years in the U.S. House, loosen to the point where his own daughter couldn't even get 30 percent of the vote in a runoff [on Nov. 17] for the state Senate seat that launched his political career in 1979.

No matter what the outcome of his criminal case, Bill Jefferson's political star has fallen.

Much of the article's content has been previously covered in these pages. Below the fold, however, is the story of Andrea Jefferson, the Congressman's wife, and the mess she made at Southern University in New Orleans.

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