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Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson faces several obstacles to being acquitted of bribery, racketeering and other federal charges — and topping the list is explaining the $90,000 cash stashed in his freezer. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans until losing his bid for re-election last year, goes on trial Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria on allegations that he received more than $400,000 in bribes in return for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa. Defense attorneys are expected to attack the credibility of a witness who frequently wore a wire for...

Ex-congressman's brother tasted political victory behind the scenesby Gordon Russell, The Times-Picayune Saturday May 30, 2009, 10:56 PM At first glance, Mose Jefferson embodies an archetype of American politics: the man who makes a living, and a life, by attaching himself like a parasite to a famous and powerful relative fortunate enough to win office. The truth is more complicated. While his once-formidable stroke was derived from the political success of his younger brother, former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, the reverse was true as well. For it was Mose Jefferson, 66, who cut his teeth on politics first, learning the...

Two senior House staffers have received subpoenas for testimony in the corruption trial against former Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.). Roberta Hopkins, deputy chief of staff to Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), and Angelle Kwemo, an attorney for Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), notified the House of the subpoenas before the Memorial Day recess. Hopkins and Kwemo had served as Jefferson’s acting chief of staff and legislative director, respectively, as late as December 2008. The Department of Justice called Kwemo as a witness; it is unclear whether Hopkins will be testifying for or against Jefferson. “Our office was aware of the subpoena and...

Prosecutors get favorable ruling in William Jefferson caseby Bruce Alpert The Times-Picayune Tuesday May 26, 2009, 4:58 PM WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutors will not be required as part of their bribery case against former Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, to prove he sought payments in return for decisions he made as a member of Congress, a judge ruled Tuesday. Judge T.S. Ellis III said "it is sufficient for the government to adduce proof, including expert testimony or evidence of defendant's admissions and conduct, that it was customary for members of Congress in defendant's position to exert influence -- by advice,...

Former Rep. William Jefferson has earmarks in spending billby Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune February 26, 2009, 5:21 PM WASHINGTON -- He is no longer a member of Congress, but former Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, is still delivering the bacon. Nearly $6 million for seven Louisiana projects sponsored or co-sponsored by Jefferson are included in a $410 billion spending bill approved by the House this week and now awaiting final legislative approval in the Senate. The spending covers the final seven months of the 2009 fiscal year for nine federal agencies. Largely put together last year, but not enacted because...

ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- Barring Supreme Court intervention, former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, will go on trial May 26, nearly two years after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of demanding bribes to advance business projects in Western Africa. Thursday's scheduling of the trial by Judge T.S. Ellis III was a victory for Jefferson's lawyers, who had asked the judge, over Justice Department objections, to wait at least until late April, when they anticipate a Supreme Court ruling on their plea to drop 14 of the 16 charges pending against the former congressman. Their arguments, rejected by...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Former Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, will face trial May 26 on federal corruption charges that he sought bribes in exchange for his help with business deals in Africa.

Prosecutors to court: Get on with Jefferson trialThe Associated Press Sun, Dec 28, 2008 (12:03 a.m.) Federal prosecutors are urging an appeals court to get on with Rep. William Jefferson's corruption trial, saying his appeal to the Supreme Court does not have enough chance of success to justify further delays. Jefferson. D-La., was indicted on bribery charges after agents found $90,000 in his freezer. He has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers argue that his trial should be delayed pending his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Jefferson argues that the charges are invalid because a grand jury got access...

November’s elections proved a second-straight disaster for Republicans, but December has given them some room for optimism regarding 2010. In the aftermath of a week in which the GOP went 3-for-3 in contested races and inexplicably stole a seat from the majority party, Republicans are wrestling with the larger significance of the three wins, though some are hesitant to overemphasize. Democrats, meanwhile, are seeking to distance their fortunes from President-elect Obama and reinforce that they won in November thanks to the strength of their candidates and machinery and not simply the Obama effect. In Georgia, a three-point Election Day edge...

The Jesuits Produce A Great Political Candidate by Deal W. Hudson 11/19/08 Joseph Cao is a Catholic lawyer and former Jesuit scholastic from New Orleans. He is running as a Republican for the Congressional 2nd district seat in Louisiana presently held by Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), who is best known for the $90,000 found in his freezer. The election will be held December 6. Few candidates for public office are as forthright as Cao when asked about their position on abortion. “I am very anti-abortion,” he told me without hesitation. Cao would like to overturn Roe, but in the meantime,...

LA-2 , Orleans, Jefferson Parish: In a huge upset win, little known Republican attorney Anh "Joseph" Cao beat nine term and criminally indicted William Jefferson(D). Jefferson had been expected to easily win. Cao becomes the first Vietnamese member of U.S. Congress. LA-4, Shreveport-Bossier City, Sabine Parish, et. al., Western LA, TX/AR border: Republican Dr. John Fleming wins. Fleming was trailing by about 3% early in the election results but came on strong in the end to beat Carmouche(D) by 356 votes. Carmouche has not conceded election – recount probably pending. With these results, the 111th U.S. House of Representatives...

NEW ORLEANS -- Voters in Louisiana ousted indicted Democratic Rep. William Jefferson on Saturday, instead electing a Republican attorney who will be the first Vietnamese-American in Congress. Unofficial results showed Anh "Joseph" Cao denying Jefferson a 10th term. Republicans made an aggressive push to take the seat from the 61-year-old incumbent, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, laundering money and misusing his congressional office. Cao, 41, won a predominantly black and heavily Democratic district that covers most of New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS -- Voters in Louisiana sent two Republicans to Congress Saturday, ousting indicted Democratic U.S. Rep. William Jefferson in one race and narrowly keeping a seat vacated by a retiring incumbent in the other. In the 2nd Congressional District, which includes most of New Orleans, Republican attorney Anh "Joseph" Cao won 50% of the vote to Rep. Jefferson's 47% and will become the first Vietnamese-American in Congress. His only previous political experience was an unsuccessful 2007 bid for a seat in the state legislature.

Continuing our What-the-MSM-would-have-reported-had-the-parties-been-reversed Series: Had McCain won, and had Jefferson been a Republican, the MSM this morning would be talking about another blow to the new president, losing a Senior Congressional ally. This Jefferson loss, along with the Saxby Chambliss win, would be just another example of the president’s shrinking coattails. What does this say about the new president’s party’s commitment to diversity, when the other party is the first to elect a Vietnamese-American to Congress? Does the president’s party need to be more sensitive to the issues of minorities and reach out more to the Vietnamese-American community so they...

Cao wins!

Unofficial results showed Republican attorney Anh "Joseph" Cao denying Jefferson a 10th term. Republicans made an aggressive push to get rid of the 61-year-old incumbent, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, laundering money and misusing his congressional office. Cao won a predominantly black and heavily Democratic district that covers most of New Orleans. He will become the first Vietnamese-American in Congress. He came to the U.S. as a child after the fall of Saigon in 1975. He went on to earn degrees in philosophy, physics and law.

In a shocker, there will be a GOP Rep. in New Orleans. In a surprising twist, GOPers won a sweep in LA tonight in two general elections, picking up embattled Rep. Bill Jefferson's (D-LA 02) seat in New Orleans, and holding retiring Rep. Jim McCrery's (R) seat in the Shreveport-based Fourth District. But the surprise of the night, and possibly the cycle, was in the Big Easy. Atty Ahn “Joseph” Cao (R) defeated Jefferson 50-47%. Dems outnumber GOPers here 6-1, and African Americans make up 61% of the vote. But the NRCC must've had an inkling that something was up...

Political newcomer Anh "Joseph" Cao, a Republican, holds an early lead over nine-term incumbent William Jefferson, a Democrat, in the 2nd Congressional District. With 139 of 492 precincts reporting around 9:15 p.m., Cao, a Venetian Isles attorney who has enjoyed strong backing from local and national GOP organizations, is leading 58 percent to 39 percent over Jefferson. Green Party candidate Malik Rahim has 2 percent, while Libertarian Gregory Kahn is trailing with 1 percent. The district, which was drawn to give African Americans an electoral advantage, covers most of New Orleans, most of Jefferson Parish's West Bank and parts of...

Two days before embattled Congressman William Jefferson faces the final electoral hurdle in his quest for a 10th term, more than a dozen local African-American pastors gathered at a Central City eatery to urge all citizens, black voters in particular, to be sure to head to the polls for Saturday's general election.

On paper, Anh "Joseph" Cao has an ideal life story for a political candidate. Born in war-ravaged Vietnam, Cao fled to the United States when he was 8, learned English, earned degrees in physics and philosophy, and joined the Catholic seminary. When his views on how best to serve the poor changed, Cao went to law school, began a practice specializing in immigration, settled in Venetian Isles and started a family. In his bid to unseat Rep. William Jefferson in the 2nd Congressional District, however, Cao must try to overcome three tall hurdles: He's not a Democrat, he's not black...