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WilliamJefferson
Ex-Congressman Gets Harsh Sentence: 13 Years
By Allan Lengel - AOL NewsALEXANDRIA, Va. (Nov. 13) - Former Rep. William Jefferson, the first African-American to win a congressional seat in Louisiana since Reconstruction, took on the added distinction Friday of receiving the harshest sentence ever given to a member of Congress for a public corruption conviction. U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, hoping to send a message to deter others in Congress, handed down a sentence of 13 years in prison, far surpassing the previous record sentence of eight years and four months given to former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to taking ...
How a Political Dynasty Slid Into Disgrace
By Allan Lengel - AOL News(Nov. 13) - Down in New Orleans, in Bayou country, the Jefferson family was a political force to be reckoned with. The patriarch, former Rep. William Jefferson, headed a political machine called the Progressive Democrats. His power base included his sister Betty, a 4th District Assessor; his brother Mose, a political operative; brother-in-law Alan Green, a state judge; and daughter Jalila Jefferson-Bullock, a Harvard-educated lawyer and state representative, who was hoping one day to replace her father in Congress. Fast-forward to today. The political dynasty is not only dead, but you need ...
Ex-Congressman William Jefferson Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison
By Christopher Weber - Politics DailyWilliam Jefferson, the former congressman from Louisiana caught with $90,000 cash stuffed in his freezer, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for using his office to solicit bribes. Jefferson, 62, was sentenced Friday in Virginia, three months after a federal jury found him guilty on 11 of 16 counts, including bribery and racketeering. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence him to at least 27 years, the Associated Press reported. Jefferson was convicted of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars, and soliciting millions more, to broker business deals in Africa. Prosecutors claimed ...
William Jefferson Convicted in Cash-in-Freezer Case
By Bob Franken - Politics DailyDuring his many years in Congress, William Jefferson accumulated power the quiet way. He walled himself off from the garish self-promotion that defines so many of his colleagues. Now, barring a successful appeal of his corruption conviction, he faces years behind the walls of prison. Jefferson has been found guilty by an Alexandria, Va., jury of 11 counts, including soliciting and accepting bribes and using his official position to further a criminal enterprise. It was all connected to favors he granted in pursuit of African business ventures. The case had various bizarre twists and turns over ...
Jury Gets Case in William Jefferson's Cash-in-Freezer Trial
By Bob Franken - Politics DailyEven by the sad standards of political scandals, allegations of corruption against former Congressman William Jefferson have twisted through an uncommon number of bizarre turns. But a jury will now decide Jefferson's fate. ...
Congressional Felon Bob Ney Lands a Radio Show
By Dylan and Ethan Ris - Politics DailyThe problem with talk radio is that if you want to discuss topics as far-reaching as taking bribes from lobbyists, casino payoffs, and selling weapons to Iran, you usually have to call in to three separate shows.But now that former Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH) is out of jail, you can hit all those topics with just one host!After a scandal that ended his political career, Ohio Rep. Bob Ney is hoping the Ohio Valley will welcome him back -- this time over the airwaves...Ney pleaded guilty in 2006 to corruption charges and was linked to the Jack Abramoff scandal. He was sentenced to serve 30 months ...
Corruptocrat of the Year 2008
By Caleb Howe - Politics DailyThe theme of the day today is "Blank of the Year" following Time's selection of Barack Obama as their person of the year. Another big theme recently is corruption, as we witness one of the most grotesque corruption scandals in history erupting in the same political cauldron that birthed the President-elect. But Chicago politics are not limited to Chicago politicians. So who is the worst? What's the worst political scandal of 2008? Not just regular old scandals like Tusla or Macaca, no, we're talking about real corruption here. You've heard of autocrats, plutocrats, bureaucrats, technocrats, ...
Justice Asks Supremes' Help in Jefferson Case
By Mark Impomeni - Politics DailyThe Department of Justice has asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on a controversial ruling stemming from the corruption probe of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA). The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last year that a search of Rep. Jefferson's office for documents related to the investigation into allegations of bribery and official corruption violated the Constitution's "speech and debate" clause. The clause, found in Article I, Section 6 reads:They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their ...
Jefferson's Woes Worsen
By Justin Paulette - Politics DailyProsecutors have revealed that they are investigating Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-LA) of two new bribery solicitation schemes - that is, separate from the bribery charges for which he is already charged. A federal grand jury has indicted Jefferson on 11 separate bribery schemes, through which he demanded millions in bribes and received at least $500,000 ($90,000 of which was found during a raid in Rep. Jefferson's freezer). Several aides and associates have already plead guilty to bribing the Representative. Of course, none of this has yet caused Rep. Jefferson much inconvenience. There has ...
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