There are a few versions of Saturday night's events. This from -
FBI raids office of lawmaker Houston Chronicle
The FBI raided the congressional offices of Rep. William J. Jefferson, D-La., on Saturday night as part of a corruption investigation focused on him and a Kentucky businessman who has already pleaded guilty to trying to bribe the lawmaker.
The FBI said in a statement that the unusual raid on a congressional office began about 7:15 p.m., when agents entered Jefferson's suite of offices in the Rayburn House Office Building, and was being conducted as part of an "ongoing corruption investigation." The statement offered no details of what was being sought in the raid.
An FBI official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the continuing investigation, said it was the first time the agency had raided a lawmaker's office on Capitol Hill.
Jefferson, whose homes in New Orleans and Washington were raided by the FBI last year as part of the investigation, has proclaimed his innocence.
Other reports were more circumspect, particulary on the actual office raided, also suggesting Ney's digs as a possible target. The claims against Jefferson should be investigated, but then so should all those under a cloud of suspicion, regardless of party.
Postmodernism
2 weeks ago
5 comments:
Life looks a little bit hairy for Jefferson at the moment, what with alleged video evidence of him playing with the loot.
Hard stuff, and like you say, nowhere near satisfying as Ney going down.
It is good that it was a Democrat. Just proves that this cuts across party lines. If the Democrats were able to play off the corruption as a purely Repulican thing, then nothing would change.
Now, a real accounting (or gob-smacking) could actually take place.
I never really thought I would see the day, but it looks to be dawn.
Atrios linked to an AP article that said the FBI has a tape of Jefferson accepting $100,000 dollars in bribe money. If so, he should be forced out by the Democratic leadership. It won't help their culture of corruption theme to have Jefferson on tape taking bribe money, but at least they can say "Yeah, but once we knew he was dirty, we tossed him out."
Of course you are right. And for the Dems it is vital to follow the ‘Caesars wife’ principle, more than ever. To paraphrase, they must not only be beyond reproach, they must be seen to be beyond reproach.
On another note, I’m now wondering if the sluggish house committee might be gazumped on their new found zeal by Federal prosecutors.
Self regulation is a dubious proposal at best, but I agree the Dems should take the lead on this one.
I REALLY wanna be like you when I grow up.
I dig the beard and those seventies looking glasses.
Can we kiss if we ever meet in person?
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