Free Republic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Kentucky businessman pleaded guilty on Wednesday to bribing Louisiana Democratic Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) in an African Internet venture, the U.S. Justice Department said. .... According court records filed in the plea deal, Jefferson helped secure a deal with a Nigerian company, Netlink Digital Television, to deploy iGate's high-speed Internet technology throughout Africa and when that deal turned sour secured $45 million from a Virginia investment firm. Jefferson traveled to Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon to promote iGate's technology and sought financing through the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the documents say. In...

WASHINGTON (AFP) - A Kentucky businessman has pleaded guilty to bribing a member of the US House of Representatives in exchange for help exporting telecommunications equipment to Africa, the Justice Department said. Vernon Jackson, 53, admitted to paying an unnamed Representative more than 400,000 dollars through a shell consulting company set up in the names of the politician's spouse and children. CNN, citing government sources, reported that the unnamed lawmaker was Democratic Louisiana congressman William Jefferson. In the plea, Jackson said the politician first helped him get his company's equipment on the US Army's list of approved products in 2000....

New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has long been rumored as desperately seeking the democratic nomination for president in 2008. And while many political observers fully expect the power hungry former First Lady to hit the campaign trail within only a few months of being re-elected as a US Senator in 2006, US News & World report claims to have a confirmation of sorts. From USNews.Com's Washington Whispers: Hillary's in… You don't have to take it from us about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton 's desire to run for president. Her brothers, Hugh and Tony Rodham, say it's true. Friends...