Just released: Pelosi To Jefferson: RESIGN...from Ways & Means

[kpete]

May 24, 2006
Pelosi To Jefferson: RESIGN...from Ways & Means
Just released from House Min Leader Nancy Pelosi's office:

May 24, 2006


Congressman William J. Jefferson

2113 Rayburn House Office Building

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515



Dear Congressman Jefferson:


In the interest of upholding the high ethical standard of the House Democratic Caucus, I am writing to request your immediate resignation from the Ways and Means Committee.


Sincerely,


Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/05/pelosi_to_jeffe.html

[KyndCulture]

1. How resign period?

[LA lady]

2. Don't hate me cause I am from Louisiana!

He is a pompous fool

Jefferson says he won't resign key post
Ways and Means 'vital' to N.O., he says
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
By Bruce Alpert
Washington bureau
WASHINGTON -- Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, said Tuesday he would not yield to pressure from top House Democrats to leave his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee while he deals with a federal bribery investigation.

"I will not give up a committee assignment that is so vital to New Orleans at this crucial time for any uncertain, long-term political strategy," Jefferson said in a statement.

Jefferson said he was responding to reports that senior Democrats are considering asking him to give up his position on the committee. "If asked, I would respectfully decline," he said.

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/114846775650150.xml

[trotsky]

3. How could we hate you?

Louisianans unfortunately bore much more of the brunt of the Bush admin's incompetence than the rest of us have to worry about. And now even some of your friends are apparently assholes.

No, Louisiana, we love you. Everyone makes mistakes, so just vote this guy out of office if he doesn't resign or get booted out before.

[Justitia]

7. Ditto. You are among friends here. I'm a Texan, I need all the friends

(of the Democratic persuasion) that I can get.

My "apologies all around" list is way longer than yours. :hi:

[etherealtruth]

6. As a citizen that this man represents ...

... your voice holds even more weight (for me). This is a person that supposedly is representing your best interest ...

[Renew Deal]

13. Put someone else from Louisiana immediately.

Couldn't they do that? Lets get on with it.

[LynneSin]

21. Perhaps there is another democratic representative from the area

that could fill his position while we clean up this mess. I won't question why he feels its important that someone from Louisiana be on the committee but is he the only democrat?

[MrModerate]

4. Well, I'm not psychic or anything, but . . .

I can say with certainty (or maybe just "confidence") that Jefferson is going down. Traficant and Cunningham can warm a bunk for him in whatever pen they put disgraced Representatives in.

I don't see Jefferson falling on his sword, though. They're gonna have to drag him out kicking and screaming. Hopefully he'll have "health problems" forcing him to surrender his office.

The delicate balance here (assuming he's guilty, guilty, guilty -- which I do) is to get him into the official opprobrium processor and not let him hang in the wind taking 'Lican potshots, while not appearing to be piling on before guilt is actually established.

We don't want to be seen as part of the culture of corruption, nor do we want to be seen as a party that devours its own.

Damn, I hate it when people prove imperfect!

[Justitia]

5. Good. I don't EVER want to look anything like the crooks across the aisle

Admittedly, this was no where near the scale of $$$$ those dirty scum have been responsible for, but a dime in corruption is a dime too much.

I like the clear, concise request.

[babylonsister]

8. Finally! nt

[Beelzebud]

9. It's about time! Should have been done yesterday.

We can't claim to be different from the American Nazi party if we aren't.

Better late than never.

[spooky3]

17. I would bet that she was trying to give him the chance

to resign WITHOUT a public letter from her to save him some humiliation. She had to give him some time to (she hoped) draw that conclusion. But when it became clear he would not take that route, she had to write that letter.

[Beelzebud]

19. Yeah, you're probably right. That would be the fair thing to do.

[leftstreet]

35. Why didn't she do it when his former aide admitted to bribing him?

Executive Pleads Guilty to Bribing Congressman's Family
By Ralph Vartabedian, Times Staff Writer
May 4, 2006

The chief executive of a high-tech company in Kentucky pleaded guilty Wednesday to paying more than $400,000 in bribes to the family of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), a prominent Africa trade expert in the House who remains under investigation for allegedly taking the payoffs.

Vernon L. Jackson of Louisville entered the guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., the same courthouse where a former Jefferson aide pleaded guilty in January to participating in the scheme.

<snip>

But according to the plea agreements of Jackson and former staff aide Brett M. Pfeffer, the congressman helped arrange U.S. government contracts and set up an Internet service venture in Nigeria. In exchange, Jackson, 53, said he agreed to pay Jefferson's wife and daughters $7,500 per month and 5% of his company's sales over $5 million. Jackson is chief executive and owner of iGate, a small company based in Louisville.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-corrupt4may04,1,2274630.story?coll=la-news-politics-national

:shrug:

[kpete]

10. Update: Jefferson says no. From Roll Call:

Update: Jefferson says no. From Roll Call:

"I have received your letter of this date requesting my immediate resignation from the Ways and Means Committee. With respect, I decline to do so," Jefferson said.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/000732.php

[hiley]

11. oh

my

[me b zola]

14. Proceedural question

Can Pelosi take the committee seat away from him?

[Renew Deal]

15. Can't the House begin a removal procedure?

They did it to Traficant IIRC.

[Justitia]

18. Ugh. I see we're going to have to do this the hard way. -eom

[dogday]

25. Now why does he want

to do it the hard way...

[me b zola]

12. Good.

We should set an example of how to deal with a member who is strongly implicated in coruption. There is a huge difference between a party that corruption is their method of doing business--the gop, and a party that will not tolerate corrupt members. When the pukes try to say that corruption is a bipartisan issue, we will be able to clearly show why that is not true.

[dogday]

16. We have to do this

The evidence is overwhelming...

[Jigarotta]

20. she lost me at 'high ethical standard'...

:rofl:

[rateyes]

22. Demand his resignation from

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, not just the Ways and Means Committee, DAMMIT!! Pelosi and the rest of US, YOU AND ME, and ALL DEMOCRATS should be calling for his immediate resignation, and if he refuses, then KICK HIS ASS TO THE CURB!! Either we are serious about cleaning up corruption or we AREN'T. This is our opportunity to show that we are MAD AS HELL, AND WE AREN'T TAKING IT ANYMORE!

[Bamboose]

32. yeah!

What you said. :)

[DemNoir]

23. Disgusting

A firm slap on the wrist From Mistress Pelosi! She really is making me sick these days.

[wiley]

24. Great. Make it clear that House Dem Leadership asked for this

and make it also really clear that swooping down on offices and collecting evidence is something that only ever seems to happen to Democrats. If Congress can't stand up to the White House and the AG who works solely for them and select corrupt Republican colleagues, not all Americans, we no longer have a Democracy.

As for Jefferson, my opinion (not based on anything verifiable)is that he got caught up in the spoils grab. The lifestyle he's leading, kid or kids in college, etc. demands money that can never come quick enough. That's corruption. But I wager that all but one or two Republicans in the House have something to hide should the FBI decide to search their offices or homes.

When is the FBI going to swoop down on The White House and Cheney's quarters?

[Deep13]

26. Out! out! damn, Jefferson!

Proceedings should started by us to eject this asshole from the House. It should be done loudly and immediately. Message: Dems don't tolerate corruption.

[Bretttido]

27. This guy makes me sick!

As far as I'm concerned, he is not a member of "my" democratic party. Corruption simply cannot be tolerated. Furthermore, he has single-handedly done more damage to our party than Republicans dream of doing.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

28. When is the Republican leader going to ....

For the high ethical standard of the Whitehouse, request his immediate resignation. :rofl:

[Dr.Phool]

33. Howard Dean said that he (Dean) was a member of the Democratic Wing

of the Democratic Party.

Jefferson must be from the Republican Wing.

[paparush]

29. Isn't Rove Giggling till he wets his pants over this?

[Bucky]

30. Coldhearted, but she's right. He was set up coz an AA Dem. But she's right

He was, almost certainly, singled out for this sting because he's a black Democrat. But this is a killer game they're all playing; and when you make the wrong step in this game, you get eliminated. If he hangs around, he and he alone cripples the Democrats' anti-corruption message. A guy stupid enough to take a $100k bribe in cash while a GOP wingnut like Gonzalez is running the Justice Department is too stupid for Congress.

Let's take a second to pause and meditate on those last four words. OK, back to rant mode.

It's cold hearted for Pelosi to nudge Jefferson out of the game when NOLA needs as much blass as they can muster in Congress. On the verge of taking the chairmanship of a committee right now, Jefferson is certainly right to lust for the power. I'm not surprised that he was singled out and I suspect a black man potentially with that kind of power is exactly what inspired the sting.

But that said, Pelosi knows she's playing in the big leagues here, and falling for a chumpchange dirty bribe now shows Jefferson has not got what it takes to do the job. He's a damaged race horse; shoot 'im and get a new ride. All battles have casualties and I feel bad for him. But this is combat. This is a fight we can't afford to lose. Balast the dead weight and move on. We can atone for being bastards later by enacting humane policies.

[racaulk]

31. No corruption in my party!

He can have his day in court to try to prove his innocence, but there is no need to wait for indictments. Step down now, Jefferson!

Thanks to Pelosi for doing the right thing. Kudos to her! :applause:

[WI_DEM]

34. Ethics is a major issue and we have to be on top of this and Jefferson

must go.

[Bushies gotta go]

36. Is this the same guy

who commandeered a National Guard truck and troops so he could get to his own house and get his stuff out during Katrina? And wasn't there a rumor that it included lots of cash?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

38. Care to follow-up with some research...

as to whether what you posted is fact or fiction?

[sierrajim]

40. Like it or not

It appears to be true.http://abcnews.go.com/US/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1123495&page=1

[WorseBeforeBetter]

42. Answers my question - thanks. (n/t)

[Bushies gotta go]

41. Research????

I have to research my question? I was not making a statement. I only remember seeing some news station (CNN or MSNBC) doing a story on a black Louisiana Congressman who was accused of ordering troops to take him to his house and get personal property. They interviewed NG men, who said they had better things to do, like rescuing people. They said they drove him to his house, backed up to the front door and he went inside while they waited.

He loaded several personal items into this truck, including, I believe, cash. The story was done several days later after water had receded from that area and they were filming the tire tracks on his lawn to corroborate the NG's story.

I blew it off as just more spin from the Bushies, knowing that if it were a GOP congressman, it would never have been a story.

I really have to research something before asking a question? Wow.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

43. Sure, research -- help your fellow DUers out.

Especially when raising the potentially inflammatory question as to whether a Dem congressman improperly called on members of the National Guard for personal use.

[Capn Sunshine]

37. He better get out now

before the Faux News team commandeers this story and we "Democratic Corruption 24/7.

:SIGH:

Once again, it looks like the outrage is going to have to come from US at the grass roots level.

[JWS]

39. Dirty politicians give me hives...

I bet the repukes are relieved because of this guy.

[lancepiercejr]

44. If he's guilty of the charges,

he's gotta go. We're already gonna have a ton of sh*t to clean up when we get the House back in November, never mind guys like this.