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 »
Melancon ready to run against Vitter in Louisiana’s 2010 Senate race, columnist reports A Louisiana political columnist reported Thursday night that Democratic Congressman Charlie Melancon plans to run for the U.S. Senate next year against Republican incumbent Sen. David Vitter. John Maginnis, in his LaPolitics Weekly, said the 3rd District representative is not prepared to make a public announcement but has told national Democratic campaign | 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 »
Suzanne Haik Terrell is considering a challenge David Vitter in the Republican primary for US Senate next year. From New Orleans City Business: Vitter has kept a high profile among congressional Republicans with his opposition to key Obama appointees, most notably Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and FEMA Director Craig Fugate. Vitter’s stance on the Fugate nomination is leading GOP members to consider challenging him | Read More »
New Orleans’ students are scoring better on standardized tests, thanks in no small part to the large number of charter schools operating in the city post-Katrina. Not only have the students in the charter schools benefited, it would appear that the system in general is improving as more traditional schools respond to the competition. Orleans Parish LEAP scores show charter schools lead the way New | 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 »
From the diaries by Erick. Last Saturday it was a judge in St. Bernard Parish. This week it’s a Gretna City Councilman. (Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson, suburban New Orleans.) That’s not really news. The really interesting story here is that U.S. Attorney Jim Letten is the guy going after these clowns. Letten is a Republican and an eight-year Bush appointee who has | Read More »
Promoted by Paul J. Cella, because it’s always a good day to highlight Democratic corruption. St. Bernard Parish judge is arrested in fraud conspiracy This may be of interest to nobody but me, but please allow me to indulge in eine kleine schadenfreude. The parishes downriver of New Orleans have tolerated corrupt local judges for decades. Judge Leander Perez dominated politics in both St. Bernard | Read More »
Oh, please. Do we really want to base this judgment on the rate of public corruption convictions? Especially when Chicago politics have been dominated since time immemorial by a notoriously corrupt Democratic machine? One that controls the prosecutors, the cops, and the juries? But for genuine, savory, infused-in-the-gumbo style public venality, Louisiana still has Illinois, and most of America, beat. Ranked according to corruption convictions | Read More »
To make room in the Oval Office for a real treasure, a Zulu Coconut: “The Zulu Coconut is one of the most prized items to obtain all Mardi Gras season. Now Obama has got one!!!” WASHINGTON — On Sunday morning at 9:37, Charles Hamilton Jr., president of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, and his first lady, Patricia Wade Hamilton, disembarked the Amtrak Crescent | Read More »
Because I never tire of seeing former Gov. Edwin W. Edwards (D-LA) wearing the government-issue uniform that suits him so well. Edwin Edwards’ hopes for early release appear dim WASHINGTON — Edwin Edwards’ hopes for an early release from federal prison appeared dead Monday as President George W. Bush issued what top aides said would be his final acts of clemency with no mention of | Read More »
Promoted from diaries. – Moe Lane The story of newly-elected Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao, Republican of the Second District of Louisiana, embodies everything good and optimistic about our Republic. Not only is it the story of his stunning upset victory over career kleptocrat William Jefferson, Democrat of New Orleans, it is the story of the hope that our wonderful country offers to the downtrodden and | Read More »
Legitimate civil rights victims are in woefully short supply these days. Back in 2006, a cadre of progressive and minority rights agitators descended on the small town of Jena, LA, instantly transforming a group of high school thugs from troubled young perpetrators into Icons of the Civil Rights Movement. Police: ‘Jena Six’ teen shoots self, is treated A teen convicted in the “Jena Six” beating | Read More »
Minnesota enjoys a reputation as a progressive, highly-educated, hard-working paragon of Midwestern virtue. It is the polar opposite of my adopted home state of Louisiana. Minnesota is near the top on all the “good” quality-of-life lists. Louisiana is in the cellar, or nearly so, on the same lists. Minnesota’s 5.2 million citizens have a per capita tax burden ($2,890) that is #4 among the states, | Read More »
Promoted from diaries. Will the CBC choose the content of Cao’s character over the color of his skin? After all, the people of LA-02 did. – Moe Lane This should be interesting. Anh “Joseph” Cao (R), fresh off his stunning upset of career Corruptocrat William Jefferson (D) to represent Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District, is interested in joining the Congressional Black Caucus. “I’d join any caucus | 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 »
Anh “Joseph” Cao adjusts to role as GOP star If only Washington would adjust to the courage, humility and sense of service that Rep.-elect Cao brings to his post. Cao, a refugee from Vietnam, is the unlikeliest of political figures: slight, soft-spoken and self-effacing, a seemingly guileless figure, yet one with a sharp sense of humor and degrees in physics, philosophy and law and six | Read More »
The stunning defeat of career Corruptocrat William Jefferson (D-LA; IN HIS FREEZER!) gives us all several reasons to celebrate. Sure, it’s a partisan victory, but one that is unlikely to translate into any long-term Republican advantage. The Democratic voting mentality is deeply entrenched in LA-02. For whatever reason, African-American voters stayed away from the polls in droves on Saturday. Let’s celebrate because, for once, the | Read More »
![[RS]](/t/img/logo-footer.jpg){kind=logo}