I believe that Congressman William Jefferson ought to resign.

[benburch]

I believe that Congressman William Jefferson ought to resign. If they indeed have him on tape taking a payoff, then this goes far beyond suspicion, and is JUST as dirty as Dennis Hastert's involvement in the House Banking Scandal or his taking bribes from Turkey to help cover up the Armenian Genocide.

We cannot tolerate this sort of behavior from EITHER side of the political spectrum, and the fact that criminals like Hastert, Bush, and Rove get away with what they do in no way means that we ought not demand better from Democratic Politicians!

[Buzz Clik]

1. Agreed. n/t

[madinmaryland]

2. The best thing he could do for the democratic party would be to resign.

Anything more will just be dragged through the mud.

RESIGN NOW!!

[Coexist]

3. I wish he would PLEASE resign.

[Richard Steele]

4. This is a great chance to show which party TRULY stands for integrity-

Throw the rascal out!

[johnnie]

5. Agreed

*If* he is found innocent after a trial then he can file a motion to be reinstated or whatever he has to do. As it stands right now it appears that he has been involved with criminal activity and I say he resigns and takes his punishment if found guilty.

I'm with almost everyone here, when it comes to this kind of behavior we don't need them in office; that means any political party.

[walldude]

6. Yup.. we need to keep our own house clean...

or we can do what they do and start screaming that this is just a partisan attack on a wonderful guy :eyes:

[Poiuyt]

7. Agreed. He is a black eye on our Party

[enough already]

8. Yeah, let's throw the good guys overboard

everytime some right wing jerk throws mud at them. McKinney, now Jefferson. Who needs them, right?

[genieroze]

9. He's on tape. Are you saying the tape is faked?

We can't put up with this crap. Just because the Reich-Wing does it and gets away with it shows just how shallow and immoral these Bushbots are. Jesus my ass.

[enough already]

12. He says he's innocent

Are you calling him a liar? Isn't he presumed innocent?

[dogday]

14. 90,000 dollars of marked money

was found in his freezer.. He is on tape.. There are two witnesses... I think this guy should just plead out and get the best possible deal he can...

[genieroze]

15. Yes, he's on tape. If this was a set up, he took the bait hook line and

sinker. Then he's a moron. We have one in the WH, we don't need any in our party. We can't go around slamming the pukes for this sort of thing when we have people in our own party doing it. This is the reason our country is in such a mess, crooked politicians.

[snooper2]

61. so says Tom Delay..

nt

[ronnykmarshall]

82. Yeah he's a liar.

He's on tape and the marked $100 bills were in his freezer.

What, did the all mighty Karl Rove plant the cash?

[Beelzebud]

11. I'm with you on McKinney, but this evidence against this guy is undeniable

This isn't some "right wing jerk" making accusations. The FBI has pretty damning evidence that he was taking bribes.

It's hard for Dems to make the case that they are a responsible party if they tolerate behavior like this. How many people do you know that stash thousands of dollars in their freezer?

[benburch]

16. Have you actually read the stories on this case?

Or was this just an emotional reaction?

[pitohui]

19. hear hear

we have a problem and the problem is that the bad guys stand by their own but we won't stand by our own

a man is supposed to resign and throw years of service in the garbage because of an accusation?

hell no he should fight it to the last in my humble opinion

jefferson may be a controversial figure but he has also done many good things for the community, he won't be easily replaced

[enough already]

21. Exactly right

He says he's innocent, he plans to fight it, and we should be supporting him.

[benburch]

23. Al Capone said he was innocent, too.

:eyes:

[ronnykmarshall]

83. Oh please.

Delay says he's innocent too.

[benburch]

22. You can stand with a crook if you like.

If you want a party full of crooks, that is the way to have it.

[Beelzebud]

10. Agreed. Party leadership needs to get on top of this ASAP........

Or they can kiss their "culture of corruption" meme for the republicans goodbye.

[Critters2]

28. Exactly

This leaves us WAAAAy too vulnerable. He needs to resign. If he's innocent (and I'm looking forward to the explanation of that 90k in his freezer), he can run again. But for now, the party needs to take a strong stand. Or lose our credibility on the corruption/integrity issue.

[tabasco]

13. We should have zero tolerance for these crimes.

Whereas the republcans try to cover these crimes up, we should do our best to ELIMINATE it.

[npincus]

17. yes- he's a disgrace.

He needs to GO.

[pitohui]

18. indeedy weedy let's abandon louisiana to the neo-nazis

jeezus ben, thanks for your support!

if you have nothing supportive to say abt one of the few remaining fairly liberal politicians they allow to run around down here, then why not stfu?

the GOP has done a perfectly good job of stealing the state for themselves without any additional help from DU

i bet you know fuck-all about jefferson or his years of service

[benburch]

20. I couldn't care LESS about his years of service.

If he took a payoff, then he must go, and I really don't care if we lose that seat in the House or not!

And I VERY MUCH do not appreciate being told to Shut The Fuck Up.

On matters of corruption in this Party, I will NEVER Shut The Fuck Up.

Corruption must never, ever be tolerated, even for a moment.

[enough already]

24. So says the Judge, Jury and Executioner

Screw Jefferson's own declaration of innocence. Screw the facts. Screw his day in court. benburch has spoken.

[benburch]

26. We need to avoid even the appearance of wrongdoing.

I didn't say he ought to plead GUILTY, I said he must RESIGN.

And unless somebody snuck into his home, and planted that $90,000 in marked money in his freezer, the FACTS screw HIM.

[walldude]

34. So then you think DeLay should be re-instated?

He hasn't been found guilty in a court of law.... yet

[benburch]

37. Seems to me Nixon was never convicted of anything, either.

But I'm sure glad he resigned.

[AllNamesHaveBeenUsed]

42. Agreed...

Years of service does not give one a free pass.

[Vinca]

25. If Jefferson doesn't leave immediately, it will indicate to voters

that it is not only Republicans who can be associated with the "culture of corruption."

[Disturbed]

27. He has not been charged with anything.

Whatever happened to presumption of innocent until proven guilty in a Court of Law?

The FBI had this info and witnesses for a year and now they raid his Congressional Office. I find this to be quite strange.

[benburch]

29. Nothing strange about this at all.

That is often how corruption probes work. They wait, work their "Mark", and try to see how far the corruption spreads. In this case, obviously, only Jefferson is corrupt.

[Critters2]

32. And if he's not,

he can run again AFTER the courts have vindicated him. But the evidence is strong, and the appearance of corruption hurts the party.

Those who are angry about Dems losing that seat have Jefferson to thank!

Critters
note to FBI: nothing but frozen ravioli and Blue Bunny in my freezer!

[benburch]

33. You totally get it.

Thanks!

FBI: If you can identify some of the items in my freezer, you are doing better than I!

[Critters2]

79. He'll get a presumption in a court of law

but he'll look guilty in the court of public opinion. 90k in a freezer will do that. Again, he can resign now, go through the legal process, and, if found not guilty, he can run again and let his constituents decide. But for now, if he were a person of integrity, he'd step down, focus on this and take whatever comes his way.

I'd still like someone to explain what that money was doing in his freezer, if he's innocent. I don't keep money in my freezer, so I'm perplexed.

:wtf:

[The Stranger]

30. Too bad DeLay supporters didn't call for his resignation for fucking the

country for decades. It wouldn't matter if he were on tape committing murder, his minions would support him to the death chamber, so long as he supported the cause.

But we turn on Democrats and do the Republicans' own dirty work.

[benburch]

35. We hold ourselves to higher standards than do they.

Would you SERIOUSLY have it otherwise?

[etherealtruth]

40. Thank you

No, I would not have it any other way.

[The Stranger]

41. NPR-Neocon Public Relations has seized on this to diffuse Repub corruption

and the coax the public back to sleep regarding the fact that they have been brutally exploited for six years.

NPR (Neocon Public Relations) turned it into an "Everybody's Corrupt" Gabfest using this very story.

Perhaps we can "hold ourselves to a higher standard" without impaling ourselves on it, and without bending to benefit those who have committed and who continue to commit far more and pervasive wrongdoing.

[benburch]

43. So you'd excuse a crook?

Go join the neo-cons, then, because you are no different.

[The Stranger]

50. Oh please.

That kind of black and white, "with us or against us," "so you support a crook" rubbish is exactly what makes the Neocons who they are.

We don't need to self-destruct because there was a bad apple. Or dwell upon the bad apple. There is too much work to be done.

[benburch]

53. Of course we don't need to self destruct!

We eject the bad apple and move forward.

[Critters2]

46. Jefferson gave 'em the ammo n/t

[Gregorian]

48. Yep. We can put this newscycle to bed sooner rather than later.

And get a congressman in office who has morals. The guy is toast anyways.

[benburch]

54. Exactly.

The quicker we react and cut out the cancer, the less damage it does.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

31. You Title Plus The Word Immediately. n/t

[RandomKoolzip]

36. Agreed, Ben....

:thumbsup:

Corruption should be weeded out, even if it's one of our guys doing it.

[benburch]

38. I can't understand how anybody could oppose that point of view.

Can you?

[stop the bleeding]

39. Yep DEMS should lead by example - show the Rethugs what integrity

and morals are all about.

[JNelson6563]

44. You are correct

No double standards!

[Skidmore]

45. I agree. Is Pelosi going to ask him to do so?

I doubt it.

[rateyes]

59. Dems have said he ought to resign

from the Ways and Means Committee! Hell, they should kick his ass out to the curb. Who in the HELL puts $90,000 in the DAMNED FREEZER? Give me a break! Another side, my ass.

[benburch]

62. She just did!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2303846

[Canuckistanian]

47. Absolutely

Just get it over with. Don't drag it out shamelessly like DeLay or Cunningham.

[ificandream]

49. Tell the full story, Congressman

If there is really a second side to this story, he should tell it now without delay. But I'm pretty much with the majority in this thread. He's cooked ... and the Dem leadership shouldn't tolerate it.

[cascadiance]

51. He should resign, but we should push for even enforcement!

The Democratic Party should be behind making sure their own isn't corrupt and that we are looked at to be "self-policing" on matters such as this. BUT! The Democratic Party should use Jefferson as an opportunity to really illustrate to the public how such corruption SHOULD be prosecuted, and that they will DEMAND that the Republican Party police others in their party in the same fashion. Others suspected in cases of wrongdoing should be pursued with similar rigor in terms of searches and investigations that Jefferson has been, and should have similar penalties applied. If this isn't applied, there still is more encouragement for corruption to live in the "winning side" of the political spectrum, and if the Dems take power, protectionism of corruption could move over to the Dems in a similar fashion.

I want ALL corrupt politicians out (Democratic, Repubican, or other parties). I want politicians that serve us and not special interests. We need to demand heavy scrutiny on how we enforce the laws on all of these, not just selective looking based on which party they belong to.

We just got rid of some Democratic Party City Council members here locally in San Diego that were involved in corruption (bribery by adult businesses for favored treatment) in addition to pushing out the Republican mayor earlier. There are still questions on the validity of some of those claims, but I fully support them being pushed out if they are truly guilty, and whether or not pushing them out was seeking to put a more Republican balance on the City Council or not. Secretary of State that was elected here, Kevin Shelley, was pushed out of office on alleged corruption charges, but not a lot of legal support was provided to defend himself. It smelled that someone was going after them moreso than they would go after other officials just to allow someone like McPherson to be put in.

Ultimately the solution is public financing of elections, to allow most well-meaning politicians the option of not having to participate in the institutionalized bribery that is now part of the system, so that the rules can't be twisted to focus on outing certain people for political reasons instead of dealing with corruption even handedly and getting rid of all who abuse the system even handedly.

Let's not just demand that Jefferson resign. Let's ask him to resign if he's guilty AND ask that an even handed system be applied to all who break the rules. At this point I still don't think the case has been made that there is a conspiracy of corruption on an Abramoff level of the Democratic Party like there is with the Republicans, and that fact should be continually pointed out.

[ificandream]

52. CNN reporting both Dems and Repubs protesting raid

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/24/raid.on.congress.ap/index.html?section=cnn_topstories

CNN also reporting Jefferson out of Ways and Means Committee, but he won't resign.

[spanone]

55. IF....that's a mighty big word. WHEN they show the IF...maybe so.

[Pirate Smile]

56. I agree.

[rateyes]

57. And, if he doesn't, then the Democratic Party

ought to LEAD THE WAY in kicking his ass out! Either we are against corruption or we aren't. "Well DONE is better than well SAID!"--Benjamin Franklin.

Are we going to TALK about getting rid of corruption, or are we going to DO something about it! We have an OPPORTUNITY here to say plainly and clearly that we aren't putting up with this kind of shit for one bloody second. TIME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP!

[spuddonna]

58. I just read that Pelosi asked him to resign and I agree...

The case against him looks bad. If we are going to run against a "Culture of Corruption", we better damn well have our closets clean of skeletons!

If the man is truly innocent, he can clear his name, and come back again to fight another day.

[eomer]

60. Looks like she has asked him to resign from Ways & Means Committee

but has not asked him to resign from Congress and he refused her request.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Pelosi_asks_congressman_snared_in_bribery_0524.html

[spuddonna]

63. She should have asked him to resign PERIOD...

That stinks... This is manna from heaven for the Repugs...

[eomer]

64. I agree.

I don't think there should be a "one size fits all" rule. In this case the evidence is so direct and convincing that I believe he should resign from Congress. There may be other cases where the evidence is indirect, circumstantial or otherwise less sure and that would not require resignation. But this case looks pretty open and shut. He should resign and Pelosi should demand that he resign -- from Congress.

[spuddonna]

65. Exactly... if this was a case where there were 'allegations', I'd said...

...let the investigation go forward. But there is some damning video evidence here.

I am hoping his staff and other members of our party can convince him that this is wrong. He needs to step down for the good of the party.

[IronLionZion]

66. Sure, once he's indicted by a grand jury

We don't have to wait until they convict him, having enough evidence to indict should be enough for him to resign.

The 13 most corrupt members of congress include only 2 democrats. Once of them is Bill Jefferson.

http://www.beyonddelay.org/summaries/jefferson.php

I want to kick out everyone on that list, regardless of party. 11 out of 13 are Republicans so it is obvious which party is more corrupt. Democrats don't know how to be corrupt. Who hides cash in their freezer? Rick Santorum hides it in his fraudulent charity.

[Cosmocat]

67. Nope ...

I don't know what the policy would be, but the democratic house leadership should stand together and force him to resign, immediately ... That would allow them to be able to point to a CLEAR example of a strong action against someone who acted in an illegal manner to point to when the Repukes try to say that corruption is a bi-partisan issue ...

[Turn CO Blue]

68. Corruption is corruption, Dem or Repub. He should resign.

Pelosi has already asked him to resign from Ways and Means, and I am pleased with that.

I am not saying that people aren't innocent until/unless proven guilty (and I know he denies any wrongdoing vehemently) -- but it seems like this is a case of where there is smoke there is a raging fire. Just like Cunningham and Delay, etc. etc.

[Faryn Balyncd]

69. agreed

[deaniac21]

70. Just because of some cold, hard cash? I think his assets should

be frozen, however.

[The_Casual_Observer]

71. How about a hearing first?

You are pretty fucking quick to jump to conclusions.

[LSK]

74. and you are missing the point

1. The OP said " If they indeed have him on tape taking a payoff"

2. The point is that we on the left will not tolerate corruption even from our own ranks. We will not make pathetic defense attempts like they do on the right.

[The_Casual_Observer]

75. Well then have the hearing, who cares if they show a tape on

television. It isn't a matter of judging for yourself.

And, no I didn't miss the point, the guy says he should resign, and it sure as hell looks like he wants him to resign right now, not later. now.

[LSK]

72. agreed

[Guaranteed]

73. Absolutely.

In fact, I'd like to tell him to get the hell out.

[butterfly77]

76. yes

[Festivito]

77. Even if he's innocent? (Why hasn't that video been aired?)

(I have not followed this story. This is the first DU thread I've seen on it and there are no links to the story.)

Has anyone seen the video, aside from Republicans? ("Feds" count as Republicans in my book.)
I find it hard to believe that after a reported 18 months investigation with a video he has not been charged yet and that video has not shown all over the airwaves.

What is this video? Is it overhead monitors or a sting set video. If a sting, if with audio, is it damning?

Do you claim that his claims that the cash is for dealing with another country's culture of payments is wrong? (Yes, that's a nice way of saying some countries use bribery of their officials, NOT OURS, to get things done.)

Is the story that he is trusted by friends to hold this cash to pass along so untenable so as to not be given a hearing?

I see a ton of IF's throughout this thread.
IF he's innocent, should he resign?
Should anyone accused with an alleged video resign also?

[DoveTurnedHawk]

78. He Must Resign, Or He Should Be Tossed

No tolerance for corruption. This guy totally screwed his constituents, the party, and the country. I hope he serves serious jail time.

DTH

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

80. with ya.

[ronnykmarshall]

81. Same here.

See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!