Well we're Movin' on Up!
C: Movin' on Up!
1: To the east side!
C: Movin' on Up!
1: To a dee-luxe apartment in the sky, We're movin' on up!
C: Movin' on Up!
1: To the east side!
C: Movin' on Up!
1&C: We've finally got a piece of the pie!
Posted on 06/08/2006 7:04:22 PM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON - A drive by the Democratic leadership to strip embattled Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) of his committee post triggered a backlash Thursday as the Congressional Black Caucus opposed the move and said the Louisiana lawmaker deserves a "presumption of innocence."
The caucus chairman, Rep. Melvin Watt (news, bio, voting record) of North Carolina, told reporters that some black voters might ask why action was sought against "a black member of Congress" when there was neither precedent nor rule for it.
Jefferson has not been indicted and has denied all wrongdoing in connection with a federal bribery investigation that has netted two convictions. He has rebuffed repeated calls from Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and others to step aside until any involvement is clarified.
Watt spoke after a Democratic leadership group voted to strip Jefferson of his committee post, at least temporarily. The entire rank and file was then summoned to debate the issue but postponed a vote until next week.
"I can guarantee" he will not voluntarily step aside, said Melanie Roussell, Jefferson's spokeswoman.
Several officials said Jefferson had rebuffed a final appeal to step aside in a meeting with three fellow Democrats dispatched by party leaders. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the delicate nature of the conversation.
The maneuvering came as part of a determined attempt by the Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) of California, to ease Jefferson from his position. "I feel he should step aside," she told reporters but declined further comment.
Democrats intend to campaign against Republicans this fall by accusing them of presiding over a "culture of corruption." Jefferson's continued presence on the committee presumably would allow Republicans to blur the issue in the midterm elections.
Several officials said Watt had spoken up at the meeting of the rank and file to invoke a rule that provides for a five-day delay.
Emerging from the session, he distributed a statement that said the Congressional Black Caucus perhaps has a "unique appreciation of our nation's constitutional guarantee of the presumption of innocence."
The statement added the group "therefore opposes suggestions that some have made to force Rep. Jefferson to resign from Congress or to remove him involuntarily from his position on the Ways and Means Committee in the absence of precedents that have been historically applied and will be consistently applied in the future."
Speaking for himself, Watt was more pointed.
He said the leadership was open to a charge that it was acting out of political expedience. "It's about to blow up in their face," he added.
What does the White Caucus have to say about it? Or the Brown Caucus?
Excuse Mr. Watt, but has the esteemed Caucus seen the videotape of Mr. Washington putting the 100K in his car?
Since that seems to be Ok with the BC, what have the rest of the members done?
Deny'm, Delay'm & Stall'm
The DC law firm advising these folks.
Do lacrosse players get a presumption of innocense, too?
Watching the Democrats and Republicans this year is like watching two crippled people racing to the bottom of a flight of stairs, and slipping and falling. One of them is going to get to the bottom first, but they're going to get there the hard way.
What will come out to mitigate this, is that Karl Rove hired operatives to bribe him to take the bribes he is accused of taking. Otherwise, he never would have accepted the bribes in the first place. It all part & parcel of the Republican Culture of Corruption.
IOW, just Hephalumps corrupting the otherwise incorruptable Jackasses Donks. "WAH! We're the VICTEMS!"
Just the name Black Caucus cracks me up. No follow up please.
It sure seems to me that Nancy Pelosi, Reid and Kennedy are acting to protect their white advantage.
Well we're Movin' on Up!
C: Movin' on Up!
1: To the east side!
C: Movin' on Up!
1: To a dee-luxe apartment in the sky, We're movin' on up!
C: Movin' on Up!
1: To the east side!
C: Movin' on Up!
1&C: We've finally got a piece of the pie!
ping
AMAZING HOW THESE GUYS SLEPT THRU TOM DELAY'S PROBLEMS.
"What's Nancy Pelosi all upset about? I was only helping out a distinguished foreign leader."
"What happened was that I got an email from Nigerian General Kachinga Cheatchusuckah."
"Now, once Idi Amin's secret Ugandan gold reserves are transferred from a Swiss bank vault to a refrigerated truck I leased, it will all make sense."
Sounds like Jefferson and the CBC are threatening to engage in some MAD.
Ya think?
Yawn---hyphenates are so predictable----they love to use Third World tactics----to divide and conquer.
Poor babies forget they live in the land of the free----not a banana republic where camouflage-clad federales roam the streets in shoulder holters and ammo straps (not yet anyway).
Regardless, both will eventually get to the bottom.
This simply means that the entire Black Caucus has no respect for the law or honor. They're rallying around an exposed criminal for only one reason. He's black.
Who'da guessed?
In other news... Dog bites man.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.