FBI Searches Office of Louisiana Congressman - Page 3 - Big Big Forums

Jolie Rouge · 06-05-2007, 01:04 PM

Nancy Pelosi, Ruler of the Clean House, has a bit of a headache on her hands in the wake of the William Jefferson indictment. WaPo reports: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...060401664.html

Quote:

Democratic leaders fear that Rep. William J. Jefferson's indictment yesterday on racketeering and bribery charges, coming exactly one year after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi engineered his ouster from the powerful Ways and Means Committee, could rekindle a smoldering dispute between the speaker and black lawmakers who were once pillars of her power.

For months, the Louisiana Democrat's mounting legal peril has bedeviled Democrats as they sought first to point to corruption as a tool to oust Republicans from control of Congress, then pressed for ethics and lobbying changes that they said would usher in a new era of clean politics on Capitol Hill. For every thrust Democrats made against the GOP, Republicans parried with Jefferson, saying problems in Congress were bipartisan.

Through it all, much of the Congressional Black Caucus has stood by Jefferson and against the Democratic leadership. And yesterday, Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), a veteran caucus member, said it would be "as supportive of our colleague as possible, in terms of saying a person in America is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty."

Looks like the GOP, seeking a decision on whether Jefferson should be expelled from Pelosi's mostethicalhouseever, may move as soon as today for an ethics review of the lurid 16-count, 95-page indictment against the Freezer King. Jefferson holds one last committee seat on the Small Business Committee. But probably not for long:

Quote:

"I can't imagine that based on what's happened and what we've done [on ethics rules changes and lobbying legislation] that at the very least, he'll be asked to step down from committee," said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), who stressed that he was not speaking for the leadership. "We've set down a pretty clear marker about what's going to be expected."

That'll earn Emanuel more scorn from the nutroots and accusations of racial double standards from the Congressional Black Caucus--which, as I noted last June when he was stripped of his Ways and Means seat, gave Jefferson a standing ovation after he accused the Dem leadership of singling him out because he was black.

Live by identity politics, die by identity politics.

Bigger headaches for the Clean House Club: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3242551&page=1

Quote:

The Democrats in Congress have lost much of the leadership edge they carried out of the 2006 midterm election, with the lack of progress in Iraq being the leading cause. Their only solace: President Bush and the Republicans aren't doing any better.

Six weeks ago the Democrats held a 24-point lead over Bush as the stronger leadership force in Washington; today that's collapsed to a dead heat. The Democrats' overall job approval rating likewise has dropped, from a 54 percent majority to 44 percent now -- with the decline occurring almost exclusively among strong opponents of the Iraq War...

...The shift away from the Democrats in Congress has occurred on two levels. In terms of their overall approval rating, the damage is almost entirely among people who strongly oppose the war in Iraq. In this group 69 percent approved of the Democrats in April, but just 54 percent still approve now -- a likely effect of the Democrats' failure to push a withdrawal timetable through Congress.

Their decline in leadership ratings vs. Bush is more broadly based -- that's occurred among war opponents and supporters alike, apparently reflecting more an assessment of their performance than an expression of support or opposition.

Jolie Rouge · 06-06-2007, 12:50 AM

Jefferson charged in 16 counts
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7835987.html

Indictment called troubling
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7835887.html

Timeline leading to indictment of Jefferson
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/7835957.html

Jolie Rouge · 06-09-2007, 02:06 AM

Jefferson pleads not guilty to bribery
By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press Writer
Fri Jun 8, 8:45 PM ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Rep. William Jefferson pleaded not guilty Friday to charges that he solicited bribes for himself and his family from 11 different companies while using his office to broker business deals in Africa. "I am absolutely innocent of the charges that have been leveled against me," Jefferson said after the hearing. "I'm going to fight my heart out to clear my name."

Prosecutors say Jefferson, D-La., used his influence as co-chairman of the congressional Africa Investment and Trade Caucus to broker deals in numerous African nations, and that he demanded kickbacks for himself and for family members. He is also charged with bribing a Nigerian official.

He allegedly received more than $500,000 in bribes and demanded millions more between 2000 and 2005. The 94-page indictment issued Monday details 11 separate bribery schemes and 16 criminal counts, including racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice.

Jefferson was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond. His trial is scheduled for January, and he faces up to 235 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

Jefferson said his family has a spotless record. "We are the same family that the Department of Justice and FBI want you to believe is a family made up of bribers, racketeers and conspirators," he said. "This is not who we are. This is not who I am. This is not what I have done."

As conditions for his release, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III denied the congressman access to shotguns and rifles in his Louisiana home. Jefferson said the guns were used for hunting.

Ellis also ordered Jefferson to surrender his passport.

Jefferson, 60, must seek permission to travel anywhere outside of Louisiana or the Washington area, the judge said.

According to court records, FBI agents videotaped Jefferson picking up a $100,000 cash bribe in 2005 from an informant in a hotel parking garage. Two days later, FBI agents raided Jefferson's home in Washington and found $90,000 in cash stuffed in a box in his freezer.

Jefferson alluded to that money on Friday, but he declined to answer any questions. "The $90,000 was the FBI's money," he said. "The FBI gave it to me as part of its plan — part of their plan — that I would give it to the Nigerian vice president, but I did not do that. When all the facts are understood, I trust that I will be vindicated."

According to court records, Jefferson told the informant that he needed cash to pay bribes to the country's vice president, Atiku Abubakar. Abubakar has denied any wrongdoing.

Prosecutor Mark Lytle said the government had compiled evidence filling eight file cabinets and had extensive tape recordings. The prosecution's case could take up to a month to present, he said.

Robert Trout, Jefferson's lawyer, said the complexity of the case required Jefferson to waive his right to a speedy trial. "This has been investigated for two years," Trout said.

Jefferson was re-elected last year. After his indictment, he resigned from the House Small Business Committee while maintaining his innocence.

On Thursday, a federal judge froze Jefferson's assets, and the House Ethics Committee voted to expand its own investigation of Jefferson to include any subject in the 16-count corruption indictment.

Jefferson is the first U.S. official to face charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits corporate bribery overseas.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070609/...9hoNDQ5v.s0NUE

Because Jefferson is a Democrat, he will likely serve no time, the media will make Republicans-Conservatives out to be on a witch hunt, and claim racism, bigotry, and so forth, thus turning it around from Jefferson being a criminal to Republicans-Conservatives being mean, racist, bigoted white men out to get the black guy.

The media will carry the torch for Jefferson as well.

My prediction, no time served, and no admission of guilt, and no finding of guilt for Jefferson. JMHO

Jolie Rouge · 06-14-2007, 12:14 AM

Group announces support for Jefferson
By CAIN BURDEAU, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 25 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS - Supporters of a Democratic congressman charged with bribery and money laundering harkened to their civil rights days on Wednesday as they denounced the allegations against U.S. Rep. William Jefferson.

The group, including ministers and the president of the local chapter of the NAACP, alleged the 16-count corruption indictment was the work of a Republican White House and Justice Department scheming to target black Democratic leaders and shift attention from legal troubles of Republican congressmen. "When it's all over, Bill Jefferson will stand up like Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. He will stand up in the South and he will be victorious," said the Rev. Samson "Skip" Alexander.

The news conference attended by about 50 people was a sign Jefferson hasn't lost friends in New Orleans, which re-elected him to a ninth term from Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District in December 2006 despite an FBI probe of his African business dealings.

Prosecutors say Jefferson used his influence as co-chairman of the congressional Africa Investment and Trade Caucus to broker deals in numerous African nations, and that he demanded kickbacks for himself and for family members. He is also charged with bribing a Nigerian official.

He allegedly received more than $500,000 in bribes and demanded millions more between 2000 and 2005. He has pleaded not guilty.

The group said they would raise money for his legal defense and offer public relations help through the Justice for Jefferson Committee.

Tracie Washington, a civil rights lawyer, asked the audience to give Jefferson the benefit of the doubt.

Danatus King, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, said, "it's important that all of us keep our eyes on the prize and that prize is one word, and that one word is justice."

Asked to comment on allegations aired at the news conference, Bryan Sierra, a Justice Department spokesman, said "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." White House spokesman Blair Jones also declined to comment.

Not everyone in attendance at Wednesday's news conference expressed undivided loyalty to Jefferson.

Sitawi Jahi, a 54-year-old youth development program director, said he came "to gather facts." But he said his confidence in Jefferson was strained by some of the evidence, in particular an allegation the FBI found $90,000 in bribe money in the congressman's freezer. "That's hard to explain," he said.

Jefferson's legal defense fund, set up about 18 months ago, has about $140,000, according to Walter Wilkerson, the lawyer handling the fund.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070614/...lHQWRuGDdH2ocA

Quote:

The group, including ministers and the president of the local chapter of the NAACP, alleged the 16-count corruption indictment was the work of a Republican White House and Justice Department scheming to target black Democratic leaders and shift attention from legal troubles of Republican congressmen.

See, my comments in the post above....

Jolie Rouge · 06-21-2007, 01:16 AM

An ex-New Orleans school board president has pleaded guilty to accepting $140,000 in bribes from a local businessman in exchange for promoting and approving a software education program for the parish schools.

Who was the accused briber?

Quote:

According to documents, Brooks-Simms received $140,000 in bribes and the unnamed businessman received a contract for the program that was worth $900,000. U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said that both Brooks-Simms and the businessman funneled the payments through several bank accounts to disguise their illegality.

The documents showed that in 2002, 2003 and 2004, Brooks-Simms approved contracts between the school board and JRL Enterprises to provide the OPSB with computer-related equipment, programs and services and that on three separate occasions she received payments in the amount of $40,000, $50,000 and $50,000.

While court documents did not name the businessman, an article in the New Orleans Times-Picayune quoted sources as saying it was Mose Jefferson, brother of indicted Congressman William Jefferson.

Wonder if he kept the cash in a freezer, too?

Jolie Rouge · 07-31-2007, 12:54 PM

Indicted Rep. Jefferson -- Bocca Bing!
What's a box of Boca Burgers worth?
It all depends on whose freezer it's in.
By Mary Ann Akers

At most grocery stores, a box of soy Boca Burgers goes for about $5. But in the notorious freezer of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), the price is jacked up - a lot.

According to recently unsealed documents in U.S. District Court in Washington, FBI agents who raided Jefferson's Capitol Hill home in August of 2005 found $20,000 in cash inside a Boca Burger box in the freezer.

Previous court documents stated only that $90,000 in hard cold cash was found in foil and frozen food containers. But a newly unsealed itemized inventory by FBI agents shows $20,000 of the total was tucked inside a Boca Burger box, $30,000 in a "Yes! Organic Market" bag and $20,000 in a not-so-organic Pillsbury pie crust box. (The other $20,000 - found in two stacks of $10,000, bound by rubber bands - was just wrapped in foil, you know, the normal way to keep cash in one's freezer.)

Who knew that Jefferson - who was indicted in May on 16 counts of bribery, racketeering, money laundering and obstruction of justice - was so... health conscious? (Except for that Pillsbury ready made crust; Poor guy must have fallen off the wagon briefly.)

We're now awaiting comment from the Rep. Jefferson on his dietary habits, i.e., how often he chooses soy over beef. (In the event he is convicted, it could be difficult, depending on the prison, to sustain a vegetarian-leaning lifestyle in the U.S. federal prison system.)

Besides Boca burgers, the newly unsealed documents also shed more light on the government's case against Jefferson, as the New Orleans Times Picayune reports.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/sleut...n_bocca_b.html

Papers: Cash hidden in food boxes
Records unsealed in Jefferson case
Saturday, July 28, 2007
By Bill Walsh

WASHINGTON -- Newly unsealed documents in the federal bribery case against Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, describe a plan to steer profits to the son of the president of Ghana and a frantic effort to get the congressman to revive a lucrative deal in Nigeria as it appeared to unravel.

The papers also state that Jefferson stored some of the money he took from an FBI informant in soy burger boxes and other food containers in the freezer of his Capitol Hill home.

For nearly two years, the Justice Department resisted legal efforts by The Times-Picayune and The Washington Post to open the records of what the FBI found when it searched Jefferson's homes in Washington and New Orleans, his car and the office of his accountant. Last week, more than a month after Jefferson was indicted by a federal grand jury, the government relented, and the documents were available for inspection Friday.

They contain no major revelations in a case that first burst into public view Aug. 4, 2005, when the FBI served its search warrants in a case that centers on Jefferson's efforts to help land African contracts for iGate Inc., a U.S. telecommunications firm. In June, the government indicted Jefferson on 16 counts of racketeering, bribery, fraud and obstruction of justice. He pleaded innocent and has vowed to clear his name in a trial scheduled for early next year.

The documents fill in some of the blanks in the story of how the government thinks Jefferson sought to profit from the African deals and how investigators see him as a central player in engineering the ventures.

The government alleges that Jefferson received more than $400,000 in bribes and millions of shares of corporate stock for helping iGate gain a foothold in Nigeria and Ghana. By 2005, it appeared that Jefferson had persuaded NITEL, the Nigerian state-owned telecommunications company, to use iGate's high-speed Internet technology, a deal he estimated would be worth $200 million or more.

But in June of that year, according to the documents, the deal appeared to be falling apart. NITEL purchased Chinese telecommunications supplies incompatible with iGate's technology. Wiretaps placed by the FBI overheard businessman Suleiman YahYah, who was the Nigerian contact with NITEL, urge iGate CEO Vernon Jackson to get Jefferson involved, the government said. "The solution to the problem rested with Congressman Jefferson," the government wrote in its search warrant affidavit.

'Move in fast'

On June 9, 2005, YahYah told Jackson, "I believe now is the time for interceding with the VP (vice president)" of Nigeria, who had influence over NITEL. "To make clear," YahYah is quoted in the transcripts, "the congressman, he has to move in and move in fast."

On June 21, [color=redJefferson wrote a letter on House of Representatives stationery to Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar urging him to renew the company's commitment to iGate, a company the government alleges Jefferson partially owned. Jefferson also visited Abubakar's Maryland home to press his case, the government says. The house was part of the FBI raid.[/color]

The newly available documents also shed light on a similar telecommunications deal prosecutors say Jefferson was orchestrating in Ghana. They allege that Eddie Kufuor, son of Ghana President John Agyekum Kufuor, was to push the deal inside the government. "Jefferson has told (the confidential witness) that is it likely the son of the president of Ghana will receive a share of the profits of a joint venture to be set up in that country in exchange for his assistance in obtaining the necessary approvals for the commencement of the business venture there," the FBI wrote in its search warrant application to search Jefferson's New Orleans home and the office of accountant Jack Swetland. Swetland has not been charged.

The documents show that Eddie Kufuor was one of those who traveled from Washington with Jefferson to Ghana, where the deal was pitched to numerous high-level government officials including the vice president and the minister of communications. Kufuor could not be reached for comment Friday.

Cold storage

When FBI agents raided Jefferson's Capitol Hill home, they found $90,000 in his freezer. The money had been handed to Jefferson days earlier by an FBI informant, and prosecutors have noted that the money was neatly wrapped in aluminum foil.

Documents from that search show that the money was in frozen food boxes.

According to the FBI, Jefferson placed $20,000 wrapped in foil and rubber bands inside a Boca Burger box. Boca is known for its organic soy burgers. Another $20,000 was stashed inside a Pillsbury Pie Crust box.

Three stacks of cash containing $10,000 each were found inside a bag from the local "Yes Organic Market" grocer. Two more cash bricks, a total of $20,000, were found simply wrapped in foil in the freezer.

Around his house and in his 1990 Lincoln Town Car, the FBI found numerous documents related to iGate, Nigeria and the telecommunications deal. On the coffee table of his home, agents were careful to note they found a box of Reynolds Wrap, 200 square feet.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpa...670.xml&coll=1

Jolie Rouge · 08-14-2007, 12:55 PM

New Orleans council member pleads guilty
By CAIN BURDEAU, Associated Press Writer
Mon Aug 13, 7:57 PM ET

NEW ORLEANS - The vice president of the City Council, once thought to be a likely candidate for mayor in 2010, pleaded guilty Monday to taking $15,000 in bribes from a prominent businessman and resigned from the council.

The councilman, Oliver Thomas, apologized at a news conference and said he hoped his troubles do not become a distraction to Hurricane Katrina recovery. "I'm sorry I didn't live up to the faith you put in me," he said. "It was wrong and I accept full responsibility for this action and for using incredibly poor judgment."

Thomas, 50, was released on $25,000 bond, pending sentencing on Nov. 14, when he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He also said his resignation was effective immediately after 13 years on the City Council.

He pleaded guilty to taking the money from Stan "Pampy" Barre, a member of former Mayor Marc Morial's inner circle and a key figure in a long-standing federal investigation into City Hall corruption.

Barre is cooperating with investigators after pleading guilty in a separate case. Morial, now the president of the National Urban League, has not been accused of wrongdoing.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten told reporters that Barre contacted Thomas in early 2002, asking him for help in maintaining a contract to operate two parking lots near the French Quarter.

Morial's second term was coming to an end and he could not legally seek a third consecutive term. Barre was concerned that a pending change in administrations would lead to his loss of the contract.

Thomas had influence as a councilman and as a member of the French Market Corporation, a city agency that owns and manages the buildings at the edge of the French Quarter. Barre's contract was with the corporation.

In the separate case, Barre pleaded guilty in January to plotting to skim more than $1 million from a $64 million, 20-year contract for energy management services signed in the last days of Morial's administration in 2002.

The corruption probe apparently took a heavy psychic toll on Thomas. In an interview with The Times-Picayune, Thomas said he even contemplated suicide after he was approached by the FBI. His lawyer and family "helped save my life, cause I thought about taking it," he said.

Thomas's troubles come as the city continues to struggling with recovery from Katrina two years ago. The City Hall investigation and a years-long probe of the city school system have netted numerous guilty pleas, including other members of Morial's inner circle.

City Council President Arnold Fielkow said the council will move quickly to appoint an interim replacement for Thomas and that an election to permanently fill the seat likely would be held Oct. 20.

Rep. William Jefferson, a New Orleans Democrat, also is facing federal corruption charges. Sen. David Vitter, a Republican from a New Orleans suburb, recently acknowledged that his phone number appeared in records of a Washington area business that prosecutors have said was a front for prostitution.

Meanwhile, a violent crime problem in parts of the city has further marred the hurricane recovery. New Orleans led the nation in murders per capita in 2006.

"This is a body blow to a community already reeling," U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance said at the hearing for Thomas.

Thomas has been on the council for 13 years and was serving as vice president. He is one of two members elected citywide and had expressed interest in the mayor's office.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070813/...VdoEw7avNvzwcF

Jolie Rouge · 04-01-2008, 01:06 AM

Just in from the Supreme Court, via SCOTUSblog: http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/governm...hill-searches/

Quote:

The Supreme Court refused on Monday to hear the Justice Department appeal seeking to restore the FBI’s full authority to search the offices of members of Congress under investigation for crime…

…The Court’s denial of review in U.S. v. Rayburn House Office Building Room 2113 (07-8160) left intact a ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court that gives members of the House and Senate some protection under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause against criminal searches — even with a warrant — of their legislative offices. The specific search at issue involved the office of Rep. William Jefferson, Louisiana Democrat, who has since been charged with bribery and other federal crimes. The Justice Department appeal argued that the Circuit Court’s decision would seriously hamper probes of corruption and criminal conduct by lawmakers.

WSJ has more details: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1206...googlenews_wsj

Quote:

Last August, a Washington-based U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a court order barring prosecutors from using evidence gathered in the office raid. When the government asked the D.C. Circuit to reconsider the stay, it voted 5-4 to leave the restrictions in place.

“Its effect is to critically undermine the executive branch’s ability to investigate and prosecute corrupt activity in an affecting the legislative branch,” U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement said in the Bush Administration’s appeal. Mr. Clement urged the Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court ruling. “Until it does so, investigations of corruption in the nation’s capital and elsewhere will be seriously and perhaps even fatally stymied.”

Rep. Jefferson, in a court brief, asked the high court to reject the appeal, arguing the raid followed inadequate procedures that “involved the compelled disclosure of legislative material to executive branch agents with no opportunity for the member to shield privileged material from view.”

A criminal trial in the bribery allegations against Rep. Jefferson was originally set to begin in February. The trial was delayed, however, while a federal appeals court considers whether grand jury testimony given by staffers against the congressman violated the U.S. Constitution.

Rep. Jefferson’s legal team has fought the bribery investigation and indictment by arguing the Speech and Debate Clause in the Constitution — which bars executive branch interference with legislative branch office functions — was violated during the FBI raid. Jefferson’s lawyers are citing the same section of the Constitution in fighting the grand jury testimony. Their arguments, however, were recently rejected by the federal judge presiding over the trial.

So lets get this straight... If a lawmaker conducts any kind of illegal activity within the confines the federal buildings you can’t use the powers of the judicial system to go after them?

If John Gotti had only gotten elected his troubles would have been over.

What happened about a country being founded on the premise that nobody was above the law? So our Congress has carved out their own little class of royality. Isn’t this what inspired the French Revolution?

Sheesh. No one is even denying that he’s guilty. It’s only a question of whether or not he’s going to get away with it.

I guess crime pays if you’re a congressman.

wobblypops · 04-01-2008, 08:01 AM

unbelievable. If this isn't a smack across all of our faces, I don't know what is.

Jolie Rouge · 04-02-2008, 02:31 PM

La. congressman's brother indicted
By CAIN BURDEAU, Associated Press Writer
11 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS - The brother of indicted Congressman William Jefferson has been indicted on federal charges stemming from payoffs allegedly made to a former president of the New Orleans school board.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says Wednesday that the indictment against Mose Jefferson includes charges of bribery and money laundering.

Former school board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms already has pleaded guilty in the case. Last June she admitted taking about $140,000 in bribes.

The Mose Jefferson case is not related to the corruption charges against his brother in the Washington area.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080402/...5XLaul8sqs0NUE

Jolie Rouge · 05-28-2008, 05:44 PM

[i]5/28/2008
Revealed: Exclusive New Details Regarding (Different) Allegations of Bribery of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson

http://patterico.com/2008/05/28/reve...iam-jefferson/

A civil complaint filed yesterday in a Louisiana federal court reveals new details of an alleged bribery scheme involving Rep. William Jefferson. The alleged bribe is different from the ones for which Jefferson has been indicted. The new details are revealed exclusively here on patterico.com for the first time.

The background: last month, guest blogger DRJ and I reported on a motion by indicted Louisiana attorney James G. Perdigao. Perdigao’s motion leveled serious accusations of wrongdoing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana — and raised new accusations of bribery of then-U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan and U.S. Representative William Jefferson.

Perdigao’s allegations may help Governor Edwin Edwards challenge his conviction for taking bribes, in return for issuing valuable riverboat casino licenses. Businessman Robert Guidry made about $100 million from one of those licenses, and then testified against Edwards. But Guidry’s plea bargain raised eyebrows across the state. Not only did Guidry receive only five months in a halfway house, but prosecutors also allowed him to keep more than $96 million of the $100 million he made from the illegally obtained license.

As a local columnist opined: “The abiding mystery of the Edwards trial is how come Guidry got such a sweet deal.”

Perdigao says he can solve the mystery: Guidry bribed the feds. And, Perdigao says, he did so through William Jefferson.

Of course, Perdigao may be lying. After all, the feds indicted him for stealing $30 million from his own law firm.

But if you’re going to implicate a congressman in a bribery scandal, William Jefferson is a good pick.

Last night, I received an anonymous e-mail attaching what purports to be a civil complaint by Perdigao against his former law firm of Adams & Reese. According to the file stamp on the document, it was filed in Lousiana federal court yesterday at 3:23 p.m. You can read the complaint in its entirety here. The document provides fascinating details regarding a number of Perdigao’s previous allegations, and makes several new allegations.

This post focuses on the complaint’s juiciest and most newsworthy allegation: the details of Robert Guidry’s alleged scheme to bribe U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan through U.S. Representative William Jefferson.

At page 9, the complaint states:

Quote:

In the spring of 1998, plaintiff had a meeting with Guidry at Guidry’s penthouse apartment above his offices in Harvey, Louisiana. At this meeting, as they were discussing recent events regarding the Edwards grand jury in Baton Rouge, Guidry proceeded to tell plaintiff how he was bribing U.S. Attorney Eddie Jordan through U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson. Guidry instructed plaintiff to follow him into the bathroom off of the master bedroom where he proceeded to fill a bag with cash that had been hidden under some tiles next to the bathtub. Guidry noted that he never placed the money directly in Jefferson’s hands, but rather under the back steps while Jefferson watched inside through the window. Guidry then recounted the story of his first “drop” under the back steps of Jefferson’s house in New Orleans. When Guidry entered the backyard, he found two sets of steps. With a puzzled look, he glanced through the window for directions from Jefferson. Guidry related that both he and Jefferson “cracked up laughing” as Jefferson pointed him to behind a planter by the correct stairs.

I’m cracking up laughing myself.

I’ll likely have more on Perdigao’s new allegations in coming days. In the meantime, read them yourself. Maybe you’ll crack up laughing too.

P.P.S. Note also that the complaint is verified, meaning that Perdigao signed a sworn statement stating that the allegations in the complaint are true. Now, considering the source, that’s not ironclad corroboration. But the complaint contains a number of colorful direct quotes, suggesting that Perdigao was, at a minimum, taking contemporaneous notes during these events. It’s even conceivable that he secretly recorded some of the conversations described in the complaint.

If he did, fasten your seatbelts, because this will be a wild ride.

13 Comments »

Can we call Mr. Jefferson “Back Porch Bill” yet?

Comment by FishFearMe — 5/28/2008 @ 5:44 am

It is racist to even discuss this matter. Racists.

Comment by JD — 5/28/2008 @ 5:48 am

How does this discussion help Michelle Obama’s children?

Comment by northwoods — 5/28/2008 @ 5:52 am

Wow… The snark is out early today.

Me likey.

Comment by Scott Jacobs — 5/28/2008 @ 6:09 am

Um, this is all just a distraction from the issue of how racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobic, gun-toting, Bible-thumping, bitter, clingy and unsophisticated America is.

Wingnuts.

Comment by Good Lt — 5/28/2008 @ 6:17 am

northwoods - Nothing about this helps Michelle Obama keep fresh fruit around the house for her children. Nothing. This is just a distraction to make it even more difficult to keep fresh fruit around, forcing her to feed horrible food to her children. It is a distraction from her taking part of your pie.

Comment by JD — 5/28/2008 @ 6:23 am

I’m waiting for someone to blame this on the “culture of corruption” endemic in Gov. Jindal’s Louisiana.

Comment by Rob Crawford — 5/28/2008 @ 7:02 am

Wow. Indicted based upon an FBI Sting that found $90k of marked bills in his home freezer, then reelected by a landslide six months later. And he is still in office years later.

Why hasn’t Congress run him out on a rail in righteous indignation? Birds of a feather…

If we were smart (but we aren’t) we would flush the Congressional Toilet by voting out the incumbents and start over.

Comment by Bud — 5/28/2008 @ 7:06 am

i tell supplicants for my favor to leave the money in the glovebox of my 4×4.

Comment by assistant devil's advocate — 5/28/2008 @ 7:06 am

But cash only… Lotta deadbeats out there…

I do, however, accept Paypal from verified accounts…

Comment by Scott Jacobs — 5/28/2008 @ 7:50 am

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 05/28/2008 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.

Comment by David M — 5/28/2008 @ 8:26 am

Louisiana has had more corrupt politicians than Carter makes of those “liver pills.”

Comment by Neo — 5/28/2008 @ 9:27 am

Though at one point, every living former Gov. on Illinois was either in prison on a felon, or had been in prison for a felony…

Comment by Scott Jacobs — 5/28/2008 @ 10:19 am