AP: Jefferson "perplexed" by aide's guilty plea; says he did no wrong

[PhilipShore]

Times Picayune
The Associated Press
By CHEVEL JOHNSON
1/13/2006

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-22/1137193455309500.xml&storylist=louisiana

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two days after his former aide's guilty plea implicated him in a bribery case, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson said he has done nothing wrong and was perplexed by the plea.

[electropop]

1. Dammit.

If true, he's gotta go. Too bad our side fails sometimes too.

[democrat_patriot]

2. The right will jump all over this -helped by the corporate media

no doubt.

I can envision Wolf's excited grin, bouncing up and down.

[Steve A Play]

3. Hmmm, what's that smell

"Pfeffer agreed to cooperate with prosecutors' continuing investigation and testify if needed against any co-conspirators who may be indicted.

The conspiracy occurred in 2004 and 2005, years after Pfeffer had left Jefferson's office.

Anyone know anything about the 'prosecutors'? Something doesn't seem right about this being buried at the end of the article and it being released during the friday night news dump. A setup perhaps?

Steven P.

[Renew Deal]

4. Jefferson was recently on a list if the worst congressman.

Blunt and Delay were at the top.

[xchrom]

5. let the chips fall where they may.

always.

[WCGreen]

6. Sleezy dude....

Tweetie was like a school girl with her first crush, giddy and giggly....

Oh my, how far the Medja has sunk....

[rodeodance]

7. not related to Abramoff case.

Court documents did not specifically name the congressman, referring to him only as "Representative A." But court documents make clear that Jefferson is the congressman who allegedly solicited the bribes.

Pfeffer agreed to cooperate with prosecutors' continuing investigation and testify if needed against any co-conspirators who may be indicted.

The conspiracy occurred in 2004 and 2005, years after Pfeffer had left Jefferson's office.

The investigation of Jefferson is independent of the probe into the dealings of Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty last week to federal charges in a probe that is now focused on several members of Congress and their aides, including a former aide for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

[rodeodance]

8. The conspiracy occurred in 2004 and 2005, years after Pfeffer had left Jef

The conspiracy occurred in 2004 and 2005, years after Pfeffer had left Jefferson's office.

[papau]

9. Only way to get a"Dem Bribed"story in media is for Justice to do the bribe

Per the Times-Picayune: the government is seeking information about possible African business dealings, a company that lists Jefferson's wife as a director, and connections between Jefferson and a small technology company, iGate Inc., in Louisville, Ky. The Washington Post has reported that a sting (that managed to avoid entrapping the suspect?) had been in the works for a year and that the FBI raid found a large amount of cash in Jefferson's freezer.

Why bother with a sting op now? ...Perhaps because a sting can target Democrats. Not many people looking to bribe Democrats right now. Not only are they in the minority, but DeLay's heavy-handed manipulation of K-Street lobbying firms in DC has all but cut off a lot of cash that once flowed to both parties. The true corruption is on the Republican side of the aisle at the moment. The only way the Justice Department is going to catch Dem politicians in bribery/corruption scandals is to offer the bribes themselves.

The company involved:

iGate
CEO: Vernon Jackson
455 South Fourth Avenue
Louisville, KY 40202
[phone]
www.igateinc.com
Privately held

iGate Inc. is a broadband networking company that owns patents and products that facilitate the transmission of two-way video, audio and high-speed data services using existing copper wiring in commercial and residential buildings. Some of the company’s clients include AMEX International, the Department of Transportation, Chevron USA and the Pentagon Department of Defense.