Top House Demos call for ethics probe (Jefferson D-NOLA)

[funkybutt]

Top House Demos call for ethics probe

Jefferson's support begins to unravel

http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/114681071927680.xml

Support for Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, began to waver within his own party Thursday as the top two House Democrats called on the ethics committee to launch an investigation into bribery allegations that exploded again this week in a federal court.

-snip-

"It's a disaster," said the aide, who asked to remain anonymous. "Not only does it diminish the Democratic plans to run against Republican corruption in the fall elections, but it comes at a time when New Orleans more than ever needs an effective representative not preoccupied with his own legal difficulties."


-yesterday's article --> http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1146723317321760.xml

Businessman pleads guilty to paying bribes to Jefferson

[AX10]

1. Dump him. Let the tolerance of corruption stay where it belongs...

with the Republicans.

[Joanne98]

2. He needs to resign.

[Rose Siding]

3. That's exactly the right thing for Dems to do

Demand accountability. :thumbsup:

[mandyky]

4. I agree

We have to police our own or we become hypocrits. Anywhere there is power, corruption is possible. But Democrats need to use our power as "clean" as possible.

[papau]

5. Calling for an ethics probe will kill the story in time for the election

- assuming that all they have is the trip to Nigeria and the phone call to SBA to ask about the progress of an application. Hard to see the official duties quid pro quo.

It is not much different from GE sending millions to your PAC, and you voting as GE would like you to vote.

Only in this case the money was paid to the wife.

In both examples, it stinks.

[rodeodance]

7. the longer Jefferson stays the longer and deeper the story will go --guilt

y or not.

[ShockediSay]

6. Zero tolerance for corruption

Not only is it good politics; it's good for the democracy.

Time enough to get a solid upstanding unsullied vet into the slot.

[rodeodance]

8. this committee has cases piled up-most on Repugs (but Conyers case

is collecting dust also). umm.. wonder if they will activate themselves?

[funkybutt]

9. Read the second article

It seems that the evidence is pretty sound but that's just my interpretation. I'd love to hear other opinions on the evidence.

[KamaAina]

10. What's the law on vacancies down there?

La. seems to hold an election every few weeks, so I'm thinking an immediate resignation might prompt a special election, which would be the third since April, with all the headaches regarding absentee ballots and so forth repeated, not to mention the possibility of abysmally low turnout that could produce a skewed (to the right) result.

At this point another Dem could probably run against him in Nov. without much fear of handing the seat to the repunks (just saw that one today!) Maybe it could even be my old buddy the judge, who ran for the seat when "Jeff" first got in in '90; he later tried to get me on Jeff's staff, you know, the one where a staffer just copped a Federal plea!