For quite a while, Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) has been rumored to have engaged in some dubious conduct, but he maintained some tepid support — right up until a year ago. Jefferson was caught, on film, taking $100,000 in alleged bribe money out of an FBI informant’s car, only to have the FBI find that same money in his freezer.
Today, Jefferson was indicted on federal charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes, and money-laundering.
The indictment handed up in federal court in Alexandria., Va., Monday is 94 pages long and lists 16 alleged violations of federal law that could keep Jefferson in prison for up to 235 years, according to a Justice Department official who has seen the document.
Among the charges listed in the indictment, said the official, are racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money-laundering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.
Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes for himself and his family, and also for bribing a Nigerian official.
I have no qualms at all about Dems disassociating themselves with Jefferson entirely. The sooner the better.
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans have a certain tendency to show tolerance for the indicted. When Tom DeLay was about to be indicted, the House GOP changed the rules to protect him. When Duke Cunningham was indicted, the House GOP made excuses for him. When Bob Ney was indicted, the House GOP pretended it was no big deal.
Dems have already shown that they’re willing to take a no-nonsense attitude on corruption, and I hope today’s indictment encourages them to do even more.
Of course there’s a presumption of innocence, but it’s fair to say the evidence looks really, really bad for Jefferson. If the bribery charges have merit, and it appears they do, I don’t want him in our caucus; I don’t want him in our party; and I don’t expect him to get any support from Democrats anywhere.
There are some options. When former Rep. Jim Trafficant (D-Ohio), another obvious crook, won re-election a few cycles ago, Dems refused to acknowledge his existence, and wouldn’t give him any committee assignments. There’s no reason Jefferson can’t receive the same treatment.
For that matter, as Marl Kleiman noted a while back, expulsion should be at the top of the list of possibilities.
[T]here is Constitutional authority to expel a member, by a two-thirds vote. Jefferson, along with several of the not-yet-indicted Abramoff/MZM crooks, ought to be called before the Ethics Committee and asked under oath where the money came from. He would have the right to plead his Fifth Amendment privilege againt self-incrimination, on which the Committee would have the right to draw the appropriate inference and recommend his expulsion.
No, this isn’t a violation of the principle “innocent until proven guilty.” The question isn’t criminal guilt, it’s fitness to serve in the House. Whether Jefferson, Doolittle, et al. go to prison is up to the prosecutors and the courts. Whether they continue to make our laws is up to the House of Representatives.
Sounds good to me.