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Election loss may have cost Cold Cash Bill key bargaining chip for criminal case
Indicted U.S. Rep. William Jefferson's election loss may have cost him more than just his congressional seat. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat who likely faces a trial next year on bribery and money laundering charges, can no longer offer his resignation as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Jefferson has pleaded not guilty in the case, which started in 2005 when federal agents found $90,000 in alleged bribe money stashed in the freezer of his Washington home.That led to last year's indictment on charges that he took bribes, laundered money and misused his congressional office for business dealings in Africa. Jefferson has promised there is an "honorable explanation" for the money in the freezer, although he has yet to make it public. His campaign did not return a call for comment Monday. He lost Saturday's hurricane-delayed election to Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao, who will become the first Vietnamese-American in Congress. Jefferson faces up to 235 years in prison if convicted on all charges. "That was a huge bargaining chip: 'I'll plead, I'll resign.'" said Ed Chervenak, political science professor at the University of New Orleans. The loss also could also lessen the nine-term congressman's ability to get a deal for members of his family who face charges in separate cases, Chervenak said. "I'll resign, don't indict my family? That's gone now," he said. While the congressman was indicted in Virginia, his brother Mose and sister Betty, a New Orleans tax assessor, have been indicted on federal fraud charges in New Orleans. Both are accused of using family-owned companies to funnel federal and state grant money to themselves for personal use. A second sister, Brenda Jefferson, pleaded guilty in June to helping conceal the alleged scheme. With his congressional seat no longer at stake, Jefferson may be more likely to accept a plea deal if he believes prosecutors have a strong case, said Dane Ciolino, a law professor at Loyola University. "Only because he's got less to lose now," Ciolino said. His seat "is something he had and didn't want to lose before." National Republicans backing Cao emphasized the corruption allegations against Jefferson, Louisiana's first black congressman since Reconstruction. Cao won with 50 percent of the vote to Jefferson's 47 percent in a district dominated by African-Americans and Democrats. Cao ran an enthusiastic and well-financed grass-roots campaign, but it was a series of improbable circumstances starting with Jefferson's indictment that led to his victory. Hobbled by the scandal, Jefferson drew six opponents in this year's Democratic primary and had to fight for a runoff victory Nov. 4, when Barack Obama's presence on the national ballot generated higher black turnout. An analysis of Saturday's results show turnout was low, about 30 percent, for white voters, but even lower, about 15 percent, for black voters. Bill Rouselle, a New Orleans political consultant, said many black voters either thought Cao had little chance of winning or didn't realize the state's election system had recently changed and Jefferson still had to face a Republican opponent after winning the party primary runoff. Had hurricanes Ike and Gustav not forced officials to delay primaries, the general election would have been Nov. 4. As the Democratic candidate, Jefferson likely would have benefited from the Obama-fueled turnout, which exceeded 40 percent in predominantly black precincts. Posted by: Fred 2008-12-09 |
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