Corruption Least of Rep. Jefferson's Worries

The New York Times has an intriguing article about Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) and the company he kept:

Mr. Jefferson, an eight-term House member whose district includes most of New Orleans, has refused to discuss the detailed accusations against him in earlier court filings, including why so much money was in his home freezer.

The documents suggest that Mr. Jefferson was aggressive in seeking to lobby officials in Nigeria and other West African nations to promote business for a small technology company in which his family had a stake. A former top aide and the founder of the technology company have already pleaded guilty to criminal charges.

"With regard to the Nigerian business venture, Jefferson has discussed the making of payments to high-ranking government officials there, including the vice president of Nigeria," Mr. Cooper wrote in the affidavit last August intended to persuade a judge to allow the search of Mr. Abubakar's Maryland home.

"The vice president agreed to help secure the necessary approvals for the participants in the Nigerian business venture" in exchange for "at least 50 percent of the profits," it continued, adding that Mr. Jefferson had also discussed "the payment of a substantial monetary sum" to Mr. Abubakar "in the range of up to $500,000."

Jefferson seems to think that he can come up with an honorable explanation for why the feds found $90,000 in cold hard cash found in his freezer.

Jefferson declined to discuss specifics of the 15-month investigation that has yielded two guilty pleas amid allegations that the congressman accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. Jefferson has not been charged and would not speculate on whether he thought an indictment was coming from the northern Virginia grand jury investigating him.

In a wide-ranging interview late Tuesday in his congressional office, the site last month of an unprecedented FBI search, Jefferson said he has no intention of stepping down and reiterated his plan to seek a ninth term in November.

"When all is said and done, you will see that there is an honorable explanation for everything you are reading about," Jefferson said, remaining relaxed throughout the interview, his feet slung up on a coffee table. "I believe an impartial forum can reach and will reach that same conclusion."

In court records, the government has placed Jefferson at the center of a brazen international bribery scheme. Investigators say Jefferson and his family demanded and received more than $400,000 in bribes, shares of stock in a struggling telecommunications firm and promises of a cut of future business in Nigeria.

The FBI says it videotaped Jefferson receiving a briefcase with $100,000 cash that, according to wire-tapped conversations, was meant to pay off Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was to seal the telecom deal in his country. Most of the money was later retrieved from Jefferson's freezer, the agency says.

"I did not intend and do not believe I committed any crimes," said Jefferson, who graduated from Harvard Law School and received an advanced law degree from Georgetown University.

I'm sure that Jefferson believes that he did nothing wrong, despite the fact that there's absolutely no reason for him to have that kind of money found in his freezer. The federal investigations suggest a very different outcome. Ed Morrissey paints a very damaging portrait of Rep. William Jefferson's activities, which he believes borders on treason:

Seriously, this opens an entirely new dimension to the case against Jefferson. Using his seat to influence and be influenced by foreign powers borders on treason in a strict legal sense. If the FBI can prove that Jefferson cast votes or introduced legislation intending on bolstering his personal business relationship with the Nigerians, the Democrats have a huge scandal on their hands. The Times writes that this documentation suggests Jefferson was "aggressive seeking to lobby officials in Nigeria and other West African nations", a mastery of understatement.

All kidding aside about Louisiana's culture of corruption, the situation being investigated involves influence peddling whereby a foreign national can affect the outcome of votes on domestic issues.

For those who need a reminder of what treason is, the legal definition is set forth in the US Constitution, Article III:

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture except during the life of the person attainted.

As much as I would like the White House to slam Jefferson for his misconduct, the Administration's silence is predicated on the fact that the US has to deal with the Nigerians in order to secure a steady supply of oil (and that there is quite a bit of instability in Nigeria on a day-to-day basis doesn't help matters either). They have to handle the matter delicately so as not to upset the oil markets, and destabilize a government in the process. After all, we're talking about the vice-president of Nigeria.

The Democrats have a big scandal on their hands, and apparently don't think that Jefferson's malfeasance is that big of a deal. Of course, they may be taking their cues from Jefferson himself, but that's a bad move. It's the appearance of impropriety - and right now, it doesn't look good for Jefferson or those members of Congress supporting him (including those GOPers who think that Congress is immune from searches under properly obtained warrants).