Posted on 03/14/2011 4:44:23 AM PDT by Libloather
Feds back Jefferson verdict
111-page filing says jury got it right
Bruce Alpert - Washington bureau
Saturday, March 12, 2011
WASHINGTON -- A federal jury properly found that former Rep. William Jefferson engaged in "numerous bribe schemes" to "unjustly enrich himself and his family," so a federal appeals court should allow the jury's guilty verdict to stand, prosecutors say.
In a 111-page filing late Thursday to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., the prosecutors urged the court to reject Jefferson's argument that the verdict, guilty on 11 of 16 corruption charges, must be thrown out.
Jefferson's attorneys argued that actions prosecutors said were paid for with bribes were not "official acts," therefore not subject to the bribery laws. They also said a Supreme Court ruling, made after the verdict, significantly narrowed the application of one of the statutes, honest services fraud, for which the former congressman was found guilty of three separate counts.
**SNIP**
Prosecutors said the nine-term Democrat had the help of U.S. embassy officials during his trips abroad and regularly let it be known that he was a congressman during his meetings with foreign officials.
"Put differently, the government's evidence showed that, throughout the course of his five-year corruption spree, defendant consistently deployed all the trappings of his congressional office -- e.g., access to salaried congressional staff members, embassy limos, and House stationery -- to ensure that his bribe-paying constituents always got the biggest influence 'bang' for their buck," the prosecutors said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Incarcerate the criminal already. Politicians should get the max times 10 (”we the people” order).
William Jefferson Criminal BUMP! Thread BUMP!
Which led to, at the time, Rush's famous - and hilarious - mention of "Congressman William Jefferson, Democrat-Louisiana" every time he talked about him. Guarantee that if it were a Republican, Obama's stenographers would have mentioned that within the first five words of the article...if not in the title.
By the way, I seem to recall a few DriveBys actually calling (now former) Congressman William Jefferson, Democrat-Louisiana, a Republican. Yup, no bias there...
Black males don’t follow any laws.
Yep - orange jumpsuit for her. Not much news on the $27K worth of concert tickets found in John's government-leased Cadillac Escalade.
Conyers Reports Computers & $27K in Concert Tickets Stolen From His Govt. Car His Son Was Driving
Rep. John Conyers reported that computers and $27.5K in concert tickets were stolen from his government Escalade that his son was out partying in on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.
John Conyers III, 20, told police two Apple MacBooks, valued at $1,100 apiece, and more than $27,000 worth of concert tickets to the Fillmore were stolen out of a burgundy 2010 Cadillac Escalade registered to the 14th Congressional District.
The police report says the vehilce was parked at Brush Street and Congress around 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 24. When Conyers returned around 12:30 a.m., he noticed scratches on the side door and items scattered throughout the interior.
Shaykhet says the incident brings into question why the son of a congressman was driving a registered government vehicle.
“I don’t know of a single person in congress in the 16 years I was there who had to put vehicle titles in the name of the government,” former U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg tells FOX 2.
According to the U.S. General Services Administration Web site , if an employee allows an unauthorized person to use a government vehicle, that employee could be suspended or fired.
Photos...
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2635241/posts
U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, said he didn’t know his son, John III, was driving his government-provided Cadillac Escalade last week when someone broke into it and stole two computers and $27,000 worth of concert tickets.
“I have just learned about the inappropriate use of a congressional vehicle by my son over the Thanksgiving holiday,” Conyers said today in a statement. “I am sorry it happened and will make sure that it does not happen again. I will review the full circumstances of the use of this vehicle and make restitution to the Treasury for any non-official use.”
Detroit police eye Rep. John Conyers’ wife
08/10/09 11:00 PM
The Detroit Police say they may investigate $21,300 in missing notebook computers, and other equipment from the office of former Detroit City Council member Monica Conyers, who is the wife of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich, but they called premature an earlier media report that they have begun such a probe.
“Where we are right now is there has been no police complaint filed,” said Second Deputy Chief John Roach told The Examiner.
Roach said the police are examining a city council-ordered audit that revealed the missing items, but have begun no formal investigation. The audit was ordered when Conyers resigned her city council post on July 7 after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.
“We are reviewing the information that was brought to us to determine how best to proceed,” Roach said. “It may result in an investigation at some point.”
Roach said an investigation could begin right away if one of the city council members decides to come down and fill out a formal complaint.
That complaint will likely come from Detroit City Council President Ken Cockrel, who gave police a list of 29 missing items that include the notebook computers as well as a camcorder and digital cameras and printers. Cockrel has demanded that Conyers return the items.
******
Conyers’ plea deal was limited to taking bribes to support a contract with Synagro worth $47 million a year. But the recent trial of her former aide, Sam Riddle, exposed a series of alleged schemes involving others making payoffs to do business at city hall.
In a November 2007 call, Conyers told Riddle, “You’d better get my loot.” On another call, businessman Rayford Jackson, who passed bribes to Conyers for her sludge vote, said, “You’re my girl. Don’t forget that.”
Before the hearing, Conyers moved around the courtroom like a playful host, blowing kisses to supporters while wearing dark sunglasses. Her husband, who has an office in the federal courthouse, was not in the courtroom. Spokesman Jonathan Godfrey said he didn’t know his whereabouts.
******
Wife of Congressman Involved in Bar Fight
Fri Dec 23
The wife of Democratic U.S. Rep. John Conyers has been accused of punching a woman in the eye during a bar fight.
A spokesman for Monica Conyers, a city councilwoman-elect, confirmed Friday that she was involved in an altercation. But he said Conyers merely defended herself after being attacked by another woman.
The spokesman said Rebecca Mews became upset Tuesday during a birthday celebration for an attorney, who Mews says was her date. While Conyers was speaking with the man, Mews “came over and literally started spewing obscene names,” and shoved Conyers, said Conyers’ chief of staff, Sam Riddle.
“This woman was obviously drunk, and the councilwoman vigorously defended herself,” he said.
Mews, who appeared on WDIV-TV on Thursday with a black eye, denied she was intoxicated. Mews said that when Conyers began speaking to her date with her back to her, she tapped her on the shoulder and said, “Pardon me.”
“She turned around and began yelling at me,” Mews said. “When I began yelling back at her, she punches me in my left eye several times,” Mews said. “I never struck her. Never once did I hit her.”
******
John Conyers’ wife tells judge, “I may be guilty of extortion, but I never took a bribe”
March 15, 2010
******
Congressman John Conyers Wife Using Taxpayer Funded Appeal for Bribery Deal
By Debra Saunders
Mar 18, 2010
But now come reports that, despite her husband’s $174,000 annual salary, Monica Conyers has obtained a taxpayer-funded court-appointed attorney to appeal her own plea-bargained deal.
When she entered her plea, Mrs. Conyers signed an affidavit that stipulated the “defendant waives any right to appeal her conviction or sentence” if the sentence does not exceed five years. The former Detroit council member also admitted to accepting “cash payments” before and after her tie-breaking vote to grant a $47 million sludge-hauling contract to Synagro Technologies in 2007.
Well, surely the wife of the Judish chairman knew what she was doing when she pleaded guilty. Just as surely, Conyers can help pay his wife’s legal bills. He makes too good a living to stick taxpayers with the tab for a bogus appeal.
ROFLOL!
Conyer’s just can’t seem to get a break. /s
They will try to drag this out until Jan 19, 2013 when Jefferson will be pardoned by outgoing PINO (President-in-name-only) Baraq Obama.
More REPARATIONS....
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.