Friday night, prosecutors in the case of The United States v. William Jefferson (D-LA) issued a memorandum recommending a prison sentence of 27 to 33 years for the former congressman from New Orleans, consistent with Federal sentencing guidelines. Such a long sentence is justified, according to the memo, by the severity of the crimes, flight risk, and the possibility of hidden assets. Anything approaching the | Read More »
Former Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), recently convicted on 11 counts of bribery and racketeering, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In his preliminary filing, William and Andrea Jefferson state liabilities in the range of $1 million to $10 million, against declared assets in the same broad range. Most of the debt would appear to be consumer-type debt: credit cards and car loans. Several New Orleans | Read More »
For some reason, the New Orleans Times-Picayune has no coverage. Today’s coverage courtesy the Baton Rouge Advocate. Jury to weigh corruption charges against Jefferson For the prosecution: “[Jefferson] betrayed his office in ways too numerous to count,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebeca Bellows said. “He lined his pockets with cash.” … “Congressman Jefferson not only sold his office,” Bellows said. “He wanted to make sure he | Read More »
Closing arguments are scheduled for Tuesday. The jury will begin deliberations Tuesday or Wednesday. William Jefferson defense rests after tapes played ALEXANDRIA, VA. — In a moment of courtroom drama Thursday, the prosecutors in the corruption trial of William Jefferson withdrew their objections and let the former New Orleans congressman’s attorneys play nearly 90 minutes of secretly taped recordings that the defense team said was | Read More »
William Jefferson trial about to enter final lap Friday’s session began with testimony from Thomas Hardy, an official of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, who said that in his eight years with the agency he had never seen a member of Congress take such a hands-on interest in a project as Jefferson did in a fertilizer project in Nigeria. Hardy said he did not | Read More »
From the diaries by Erick. Just a reminder: the Defendant in this case was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. The “honorable explanation” that he has promised since the $90,000 showed up in his freezer in 2005 turns out to be, “I didn’t take that money with the intention of bribing anyone. I took it with the intention of keeping it myself.” | Read More »
Jefferson has pleaded innocent to 16 counts of public corruption including bribery, conspiracy, racketeering and money laundering. The Justice Department accuses Jefferson of using his congressional influence and office to promote American business deals in Africa in return to payments to himself and family members. Jefferson contends that he was acting as a private businessman who never conducted official congressional acts for the companies such | Read More »
The jury trial of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) continues. The story is starting to have a familiar ring: Dear Sir or Madam: I am Vice President ATIKU ABUBAKAR of Nigeria. I have obtained your contact through a close business associate who assured me of your utmost confidentiality, as a distinguished and highly tenured member of the U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and the DEMOCRATIC PARTY, U.S.A. | Read More »
The Jefferson family’s “consulting” firm, the ANJ Group, had a unique business plan that was successful in keeping profit margins high. N.O. accountant testifies that Jefferson family firm took in cash, but incurred no expenses Jack Swetland, a New Orleans CPA who served as the Democratic congressman’s tax accountant and campaign treasurer, said he was aware that the ANJ Group, named for Jefferson’s wife and | Read More »
H/T BLT blog, via WSJ’s Law Blog [In a new] filing, Jefferson’s legal team argues that the congressman was only placating [erstwhile business partner and FBI informant Lori] Mody, fearing that she might otherwise suffer an emotional collapse and jeopardize the otherwise legitimate business deal. Jefferson, they said, had no plans to actually follow through with the bribe. Reads the filing: Mr. Jefferson was aware | Read More »
Opening statement Point-Counterpoint in the trial of former US Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA): In an opening that lasted one hour and 10 minutes, [Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark] Lytle sketched out nearly a dozen different telecommunications, oil, sugar and incinerator deals in which he said Jefferson wielded the enormous influence in west Africa that he had accrued in Congress, including direct access to heads of state, | Read More »
Link. Experts said the government will still be able to introduce the many hours of tape-recorded conversations but will lose testimony from Mody about unrecorded conversations she had with Jefferson, including one in the congressional dining room. It also opens the door for the defense to raise doubts about the dealings and Mody’s credibility. Asked if the government’s failure to call Mody would compromise the | Read More »
As jury selection began yesterday in the bribery and racketeering trial of former Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), prosecutors released a 152-page list of exhibits. Contained in those exhibits are details of tuition payments made by Jefferson and the “ANJ Group” in support of his daughters’ elite educations. Exhibits in Jefferson trial reveal payments to daughters’ colleges Nothing in the court document suggests that Jefferson’s daughters | Read More »
After four years, two Congressional election cycles and numerous appeals, jury selection begins today in the trial of former Rep. William Jefferson (D-New Orleans). VendomePlace.org has a good bibliography of news articles related to Jefferson and his extended family, a good number of whom (4, to be exact) are under separate RICO indictment for corrupt practices. Times-Picayune article: Trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson | Read More »
The trial of former Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) begins in a mere three weeks. His friends and supporters feted him last night in New Orleans. ‘We’re with you, ‘ friends assure embattled former congressman William Jefferson Bill, if I were you, I wouldn’t turn my back… [Liberty Bank President Alden] McDonald, who called his longtime friend a “legend” and a “history maker, ” said Jefferson | Read More »
In a <a href=”http://blog.nola.com/jamesgill/2008/12/jeffersons_legal_woes_just_got.html”>Times-Picayune opinion piece,</a> writer James Gill observes that defeated U.S. Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) is set receive the O.J. version of American Justice: as much as he can afford, and not a penny more. Now that his income and his, er…, payback options are seriously curtailed, Jefferson’s crack legal staff may be more interested in trimming their own losses. Read the whole | Read More »
“It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.” Saturday’s general election in LA-02 would normally have fallen on November 4, but the election scheduled was altered on account of Hurricane Gustav in early September. The huge turnout for the presidential race would have undoubtedly returned Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) to office. It’s hard to sustain voter enthusiasm for a crook. Especially one with no | Read More »
The trial had been scheduled to begin four days before the Dec. 6 general election in which Jefferson is seeking a 10th term against Republican Anh “Joseph” Cao, the Green Party’s Malik Rahim, Libertarian Party candidate Gregory Kahn and independent Jerry Jacobs. Though no one can say for sure, it appears that the trial likely will be held sometime in the first half of 2009. | Read More »
From the Times-Picayune: Acting with unusual speed, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today refused Rep. William Jefferson’s request to throw out most of the 16 corruption charges setting the stage for a trial in 2009. Jefferson can appeal the ruling by the Richmond, Va. based court to the U.S. Supreme Court, which could prevent a trial early next year. … Jefferson, who is | Read More »
The plot so far: Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) awaits trial on bribery and corruption charges. Meanwhile, the primary election in his quest to be re-elected has been rescheduled to Oct. 4 on account of the disruption caused by Hurricane Gustav. (I predict he’s going to be reelected, BTW.) Brother Mose and Sister Betty Jefferson await their own trial on charges of looting some $627,000 from | Read More »
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