The wrong guy for the CBC to defend

May 25, 2006

The [tag]William Jefferson[/tag] controversy is clearly a mess, especially for Dems, but I think [tag]Nancy Pelosi[/tag] has handled it pretty well so far. Unlike GOP leaders who have rallied to the defense of Cunningham, DeLay, and others, Pelosi has had the good sense to distance herself and the party from Jefferson’s problems.

In fact, yesterday, Pelosi privately asked Jefferson to [tag]resign[/tag], and publicly asked him to give up his seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee “in the interest of upholding the high ethical standard of the House Democratic Caucus.” Jefferson refused (both requests), but more importantly, Pelosi’s appeal sparked a near-revolt from members of the [tag]Congressional Black Caucus[/tag].

Furious black lawmakers, rallying behind Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), were pulled back from the brink of open revolt against House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in an emergency meeting with her yesterday.

The meeting with a handful of [tag]CBC[/tag] members was called after Pelosi wrote the embattled lawmaker, who is at the center of a massive [tag]bribery[/tag] scandal, a curt note requesting his immediate resignation from the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

Outraged that one of its members was being picked on even though he has not been charged with a crime, the Congressional Black Caucus had intended to issue a defiant statement against their leader but agreed after the meeting to pause, at least briefly, for reflection.

A CBC aide said Pelosi had “singled out” Jefferson and even issued a vague electoral threat, saying, “The African-American community, which overwhelmingly backs the Democratic Party, will not take this lightly. I hope she enjoys being minority leader.”

On a certain level, the CBC is right to be concerned about a double standard. When Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) came under fire, Pelosi did not ask him to resign. For that matter, it’s hard to argue with the notion that Democratic leaders should, at a minimum, allow for a presumption of innocence when dealing with other Democrats.

Having said that, we’re talking about a man who got 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 [tag]freezer[/tag].

Pelosi not only did the right thing on principle by urging Jefferson to step aside, she also did the right thing as far as protecting the party’s interests. The CBC really needs to cut her some slack on this.

I don’t think this is a partisan issue. Pelosi is right and she is showing Hastert and Company how it should be done. It is also not a racial issue and I am stunned that he has as much support as he does. I heard on the radio this AM that the Republicans are on Jefferson’s side because they say that the FBI does not have any jurisdiction in Congressional offices. Now they are worried about the separation of powers. I wonder how much cash they have in their offices.

  • I just finished saying pretty much the same thing here. Albiet with a bit more “spice.”

    I’ve been pretty hard on Nancy Pelosi for not taking a harder line on William Jefferson. It appears she has been getting quite a bit of internal fire for trying to do just that. From The Hill:

    Pelosi move triggers revolt

    Furious black lawmakers, rallying behind Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), were pulled back from the brink of open revolt against House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in an emergency meeting with her Wednesday evening.

    […] Earlier this week, Pelosi approached Jefferson and told him that she thought he should resign, according to a Democratic aide. Later, at the Democratic caucus meeting yesterday morning, she took him into a side room and told him that she had prepared a letter calling on him to resign the committee seat and that she would allow him one hour to withdraw gracefully before she sent it, according to the aide. In both instances, Jefferson remained defiant.

    Pelosi’s one-sentence missive to Jefferson called on him to vacate his committee seat “in the interest of upholding the high ethical standard of the House Democratic Caucus.”

    Jefferson promptly refused, calling her request “discriminatory” and “unprecedented,” and suggested that she was employing a double standard by failing to ask other lawmakers facing ethics questions to relinquish their committee assignments. Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) has come under fire for earmarks he secured through his seat on the Appropriations Committee.

    “I will not give up a committee assignment that is so vital to New Orleans at this crucial time for any uncertain political strategy,” Jefferson said.

    If Jefferson really wanted to helped the people of New Orleans, he would have used his tremendous balls to shield the city from Katrina. Oh, and no word yet on whether Mollohan was caught on video accepting $100,000 in marked bills that were later found in his freezer…

    I won’t be surprised one bit if its discovered that Jefferson rode an Army convoy through the post-hurricane flood to get to his house in an attempt to retrieve/destroy evidence.

    Jefferson is fucking dirty. Period. The CBC had better get used to that idea. I can understand some conciliatory remarks from them looking out for one of their own such as “we’re witholding comment until charges are filed.” Even, “Rep. Jefferson is innocent until proven otherwise.” But they sould not be going after the knees of Pelosi for doing what she has to to defend the Party.

  • I blew my link above, but it was blatant whoring anyway…

    In addition, Jefferson and the CBC should be embarrassed for trying to make this about race. Have some dignity…

  • Some things are about race. This, however, ain’t one of them.

    Why would the CBC believe such a thing? Like Mr. Furious pointed out, they guy’s dirty. Period. End of freaking story. Support him if you want, but to think that this has ANYTHING to do with the color of his skin is asinine.

  • Bush just order the Justice Dept. to “seal” the records seized from Rep. Jefferson’s Congressional Office for 45 days while the constitutional issues are considered.

    This is what happens when your JARS are at 30%.

  • If this is going to the Court, Bush actually did the right thing by sealing the evidence. After a verdict is handed down then, the FBI can use it (or not).

    Jefferson is cooked either way.

  • Bush just order the Justice Dept. to “seal” the records seized from Rep. Jefferson’s Congressional Office for 45 days while the constitutional issues are considered.

    Translation: Bush only care about the Constitution if it means the GOP can get more of the Af. American vote.

    Although my translation could be off …

  • Pelsoi is grandstanding again. If the Demo caucus is so pure why did Nancy not ask for the white man to resign?
    Just because he did not have $90K in his freezer just shows he is smart crook. He is as dirty as Jefferson.

    And it was reported at the time that Rep Jefferson used the National Guard to go to his home in New Orleans to remove items including cash.

    There are crooks on both sides of the aisle. They all need to go home & get real jobs. Term limits are the only answer to this mess.

    JKC

  • “Term limits are the only answer to this mess.” – JKC

    We had this discussion here recently. Term limits may or may not be a good idea in and of themselves, but there isn’t much reason to think that term limits would fix this particular kind of mess. All the representatives that aren’t crooks wouldn’t be forced out of office after their limit, and then we’d run the risk of them being replaced with crooks. Term limits don’t get rid of crooks, they get rid of everyone.

    – Danny

  • They don’t need the records from his office to convict him. Just hand copies of the videotapes out to the media. Broadcast those tapes. Put them in “the public domain.” Once that’s done, no judge can “throw out the evidence.” Or does the CBC want to change their collective thought on the Rodney King video?

    Bush, however, wants those files sealed for another reason. The law clearly allows for the actions carried out by the FBI under “treason, felony, and/or threatening the peace.” Jefferson falls under the “item B guillotine.” Maybe—just maybe, mind you—those files contain across-the-board dirt that could bring down a whole lot of Congressfolk. Jefferson might just be one itty-biity piece of the larger puzzle….

  • I posted this on another thread:

    Bush’s action may be one more manuever to avoid judicial review of the adminstration’s actions. Jefferson has already filed suit in Federal District court to have the seized documents returned. Don’t be suprise if the BushCo. claims in court that sealing the documents has mooted the motion.

  • I’m sure Jefferson has cause to want his documents BACK, and not just SEALED.

  • Mr. Furious wrote: “If Jefferson really wanted to helped the people of New Orleans, he would have used his tremendous balls to shield the city from Katrina. ”

    LOL. Now would that be wind-breaking balls or balls breaking wind?

  • Everyone keeps repeating that Jefferson was caught on tape and money was found. We have heard that this is an FBI sting. I have not seen the evidence. Has anyone else? Why should we believe this is not a set up of some sort. Have we seen video or actual transcripts?

  • would that be wind-breaking balls or balls breaking wind?

    Balls so big that he could have sat his ass in the Gulf and diverted the storm…

  • The feds should focus on the evidence they gathered from the undercover sting and the raid on Jefferson’s freezer. Yes, the Constitution allows him to be arrested since there is no question that that massive of a bribe is a felony. The bills were marked, for Pete’s sake.

    But the Constitution only speaks to when a Congressmember can be arrested. An arrest implies that authorities already have evidence in hand or strong suspicion to warrant such action. It does not state that Congressional offices may also be searched in order to justify such action.

    Pelosi is right on the Constitutional issue just as she is right about asking Jefferson to leave the Ways and Means Committee. I understand the CBC’s concerns: they’re very valid. Unfortunately, this is the wrong man to stand up for. I hope the Caucus overall will support Pelosi.

    In the meantime, Democrats need to advocate for a better and more rigorous process to deal with similar possible criminalities. One aspect should be to restore the ability of the Ethics Committee function at the level that it did in the early to mid 90’s. Another aspect should be to be able to oversee and direct Congressional Police in conducting such searches when properly authorized. And Congress and the Administration should agree to designate a court (perhaps an appellate court) to take all such warrant requests. This would limit judge-shopping by the Executive branch and force the Congress to scrutinize such judicial candidates carefully; but once in place, such judges would have lifetime independence (and responsibility) to determine such matters. Congress has got to police itself effectively or risk losing that function. Democrats should seize this issue!

  • I’m troubled by some of the same doubts as Duke (#15). If the FBI *really* has the goods on Jefferson, then why, oh why have they not arrested and charged this guy? Why do they even *need* to search his office? Last I heard, warrants still couldn’t be used as fishing expeditions and the government had to specify the items of evidence they expected to seize. This administration has so damaged my faith in the instruments of our government that they’re driving me — who never *used* to be a conspiracy nut — right off the rails. If the evidence is as slam-dunk as they say, then put it through the hoop ferchrissakes.

  • This is Rove at his most brilliant. The whole reason for the FBI raid is to get the *Democrats* to go apoplectic about criminal investigations stepping over the line. Plays right in the hands of the Culture of Corruption Repugs.

    Let me say this again: Whores, Cunningham, Goss, Hastert, Delay, etc.

    Because, if the FBI should be raiding anyone’s office, it should be Hastert’s.

    Say, why isn’t that in the headlines? Oh! because this Jefferson foolishness has completely sucked up the oxygen.

    Remember, Rove knows only one move: ATTACK! Doesn’t matter what the problem is, the solution is ATTACK! And Jefferson happens to have been the softest target.

    I gotta say, Rove’s tactics are really predictable, but they work every single fucking time.

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