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From the Freezer to the Cooler

Wikimedia Commons / house.gov

Former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana, who memorably repurposed his freezer to accommodate an illicit stash of $90,000 in cash, was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday and could be looking at 20 years in the slammer.

AP via Google News:

William Jefferson, a Democrat who had represented parts of New Orleans for almost 20 years, was stoic as the verdict was read and had little to say afterward. Asked how he was doing, he said, “I’m holding up.”

Prosecutors contended Jefferson accepted more than $400,000 in bribes and sought millions more in exchange for brokering business deals in Africa. After a two-month trial, jurors took five days to convict him on 11 of 16 counts that also included racketeering and money laundering. He was acquitted on the other five.

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By Russian Paul, August 7 at 1:14 am #

This is outrageous, isn’t the cost of prosecuting this guy going to cost way more than his measly “stash?” And the criminals who are walking away with trillions of tax dollars are walking free and clear. Another pointless distraction.

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By Daniel Northmartin, August 6 at 1:58 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Now if the FBI begins to “raid” other offices, we can all exhale and begin to believe that DC is indeed free of misuse of government power. There’s a fine line between stupid and filing out the proper paperwork before looting as an elected official. Jefferson really was ill-equipped.
Tom Delay needed to be raided some years ago, but the differences are subtle. I beg anyone to mention a name where some contractor hasn’t healthfully donated to a D or R’s campaign. Bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement are they real? It all depends on what’s out of sight and out of mind. If justice prevails, we may start to see the word “kickback” from the Main Stream Ministry of Propoganda, bought and sold politicians don’t exist and Santa will come this Christmas.

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