Posted on 06/09/2007 3:00:39 PM PDT by Baladas
Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of bribery, money laundering, obstruction of justice, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, racketeering and conspiracy at a federal courthouse in Alexandria, Va.
Jefferson is free on a $100,000 personal recognizance bond -- he took an oath affirming he would make future court appearances in lieu of paying the bond
Jefferson had been in the crosshairs of a Virginia U.S. attorney's office for allegedly accepting bribes to steer business to a communications firm in Nigeria and soliciting bribes to benefit various companies owned by his family. A grand jury returned a 16-count indictment against the nine-term congressman Monday.
Cold Cash The investigation came to a head last August, when FBI agents raided Jefferson's Washington, D.C., home and recovered $90,000 from his freezer, allegedly "as part of the front-end bribe payment" to pay the Nigerian vice president, according to the indictment.
The cash "was separated into $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and concealed in various frozen food containers," the indictment continued.
'I Am Absolutely Innocent' After his arraignment, Jefferson made a lengthy statement outside the courthouse, denouncing the charges and asserting that the FBI had planned all along to give money to the Nigerian vice president.
Jefferson explained the cash FBI agents found in his freezer by saying, "The $90,000 was the FBI's money. 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
His story could be sold to the"right" jury.
In the "Post OJ" period of American justice, IS there any doubt???
“You can’t touch me!!! I’m a made guy” insert Sopranos mob picture.
He’ll draw this out as long as he can.
>>Jefferson explained the cash FBI agents found in his freezer by saying, “The $90,000 was the FBI’s money. 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.”<<
See, he only stole the bribe money. He’s an up standing guy after all.
Congressman Billybob
Isn’t it the CIA’s job to bribe foreign leaders, not the FBI?
But why should the good voters of New Orleans expect that their congressman would know the difference?
Mr. Jefferson needs to hire an attorney who can put together a better story than this and who will tell the congressman to keep his mouth shut.
If the tupperware don’t fit you must acquit...
Let him stay out forever, what few "straight" dems there are will desert the rat party in droves if this keeps up. The guy couldn't have been caught any more red handed if he tried.
What is really cool is how Piglosi fails to act.
She knows that the blacks are so dumb they are even stupider than the islamofascists following each other in lock step and never ever turning on one another even when their hand gets stuck in the cookie jar.How unbelievable. What a party the rats have, blind leading the stupid.
There is a joke in there somewhere about inter-departmental walls coming down after 9/11 but 9/11 jokes arent funny...
so I’ll just say I hope Congressman Jefferson decides to represent himself in court. He deserves himself as a client.
William “Zip-Loc” Jefferson, The Kenmore Congressman
I wish you wouldn't make a generalized racist statement. It speaks little of your IQ.
Yep. When he waived his right to a speedy trial at the arraignment, citing the need for his attorney to have enough time to study the prosecution's evidence, I pretty much knew that we were in for the long haul.
If this is as simple as Jefferson would have us believe, why not go ahead with a quick resolution? If Jefferson was just keeping the cash cool for the FBI, and keeping it from exposure to harmful rays in the tinfoil, why not just prove your statement, be acquitted and go about your business?
Could it possibly be that this guy is so incredibly guilty that he is postponing his day of reckoning (in this life)?
Excellent point, Billybob, and thank you for that ray of hope in this case. It was hard to imagine that they would have convicted him in D.C., but then the fact that they got a grand jury to indict should have told me that something was up.
If OJ had been prosecuted in the Santa Monica area, hed be in prison right now.
all the freepers are just not politically sensitive to the plight of the politicians.....after all....how many of your lib/dem representatives DON’T hide cash in their freezers???? Cold Cash Jefferson just got caught!!!!!
ok...enough about trivial news....back to paris!!!!
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