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Audacity of Truth
Gaffetastic:
Vice President Joe Biden had his “oops” moment Wednesday speaking in a 49er-crazed SF when he told a crowd at a city political fundraiser that “the Giants are on their way to the Super Bowl.” - SF Chronicle, 1-18-12
Corruptocrat William “Refrigerator” Jefferson lands a seat on the Homeland Security Committee
Paul Kane at the WaPo’s Capitol Briefing blog has the details:
Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who’s facing an ongoing federal corruption probe, is being granted a spot on the Homeland Security Committee, according to Democratic aides.
The appointment will be announced Friday, according to one aide who requested anonymity because the decision isn’t yet official.
Jefferson was removed from his seat on the Ways and Means Committee, one of the most important panels in Congress, by Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) last summer in an attempt to show how seriously Democrats viewed the allegations of corruption.
But the move by Pelosi, who was still minority leader at the time, infuriated members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who said Jefferson shouldn’t be punished unless he is indicted; federal prosecutors have yet to bring an indictment, despite an FBI raid 18 months ago on his home that yielded $90,000 in cash in his freezer.
Other lawmakers were angling for the seat on Homeland Security, which was the last slot available on the panel, according to another Democratic aide.
[...]
A former Jefferson aide has already pleaded guilty to corruption in the ongoing investigation, as has a businessman who alleged in his plea agreement that he bribed Jefferson in order to win contracts with African nations.
When most committee assignments were given out two months ago, Jefferson was assigned a spot on the Small Business Committee, generally considered one of the least sought after panels.
Obviously, this is House leadership’s way of smoothing the ruffled feathers of the Congressional Black Caucus (which recently gave the embattled Jefferson a standing ovation), by giving ‘one of their own’ a seat on an important Congressional Committee. Thankfully, as Kane points out, Jefferson won’t have any real power on the Committee, but – as it always is with Democrats – symbolism is everything, and Jefferson now has the appearance of playing an ‘important role’ in Congress.
No word yet on how what he’s stocking his freezer with these days …
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5 Responses to “Corruptocrat William “Refrigerator” Jefferson lands a seat on the Homeland Security Committee”
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I have two problems with Kane’s story. First, if this position really has no power attached to it, then the Congressional Black Caucus would go nuclear over (I can hear it now) “seperate-but-equal Jim Crow committee assignments”. But so far they have been quiet, wich indicates to me that Pelosi is probably working a behind-the-scenes deal with them to get William Jefferson-not-Clinton “back in the game”, so to speak.
Second, Kane’s article has this little gem buried in it:
What exactly does that mean? Kane is not specific. Might William Jefferson-not-Clinton have indirect oversight over these two agencies? If there is no oversight at all, shouldn’t the article have said that directly? And if there is some oversight of the FBI or Justice Department (which are supposed to be investigating him), what does this say about the deteriorating situaton in “the most ethical Congress in history”?
ST, the whole article looks like a trial balloon. Pelosi is trying to see how far she can go and what she can get away with before someone raises a ruckus.
Remember her recent jet fiasco?
I wanna a jet
BIGGER than the jet
That carried mean ol’ Hastert!
She took a well-deserved licking for that little mess she created. I suspect she is testing the ground before moving ahead this time.
$90,000 in cash in his freezer? And Pelosi wants to promote this menace?
First she wants to use some generals jet to drive her family around, and now she wants to promote a guy with $90,000 in thier freezer. Sounds like the culture of corruption is alive and well.
If a Republican was caught with $90,000 in his freezer, Democrats would demand his immediate transfer from his current committee assignments, to a prison assignment. The only help I can imagine Mr. Jefferson providing on homeland security would be some insight into money laundering techniques. It’s ok, though, this will just be another point to be raised in ’08, if the Republicans have the guts to raise it.
Nick Kasoff
The Thug Report
Credit where credit is due: it is shameful that he hasn’t been indicted yet. What is the holdup?