Friday, August 24, 2007

William "Cold Hard Cash" Jefferson

On Fridays, this space is reserved for one decent Republican.
But I can't find one!


My pay-respect-to-a-Republican-at-least-one-day-a-week pledge has been cancelled. It didn't pass the Karl Rove Test: to find a single GOP office holder who will vote to cite Turdblossum in contempt of Congress for not complying with a subpoenas from either House or Senate Judiciary Committees. Not one Republican is willing to dissociate himself from Karl Rove. Not one.

So, instead, of paying respect to a Republican, I'll just pay some disrespect to a Democrat - Democrat William Jefferson.

This guy is a standout. He graduated from Harvard Law School and was elected Louisiana's first black congressman since Reconstruction.

But he also is the dirtiest Washington elected office holder who is not a Republican. In fact he should be a Republican. Last year, Rolling Stone featured a list of The 10 Worst Congressmen (and women), and Jefferson was the only-man-jack who was not a GOP-er. Which is amazing, since there is - in this young century - such a long, long list of corrupted Republicans in and out of office and in and out of jail.

But Jefferson has to be included: anyone who gets caught with $90,000 cash in his freezer should be considered out in the cold. Rolling Stone says:
While his constituents back home were still reeling from the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, Jefferson was lining his own pockets in Washington. In May, the FBI raided his office after the Louisiana Democrat was caught accepting $100,000 in bribes -- most of which was later discovered in Jefferson's freezer. Vernon Jackson, the CEO of iGate, was sentenced to seven years for bribing Jefferson to push the tech company's products on the U.S. Army.

Democrats didn't fully abandon their most self-serving member. The party hosted a fund-raiser for Jefferson in March, long after it was clear he was under investigation. When he was busted, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did force Jefferson to give up his seat on the Ways and Means Committee -- but then joined House Speaker Dennis Hastert in denouncing the FBI's raid on Jefferson's office as "unconstitutional."

Equally shameful were Jefferson's antics after Katrina struck: He commandeered a Coast Guard helicopter to gather personal effects from his home in New Orleans -- at a time when his constituents were literally drowning in their attics. . . .
In fairness to Jefferson, he has been indicted – not convicted. That may or may not come in the not too distant future. Either way – the guy doesn’t deserve to remain in office.
Either resign or switch parties.

12 Moderated Comments:

Blogger Not Your Mama said...

Excellent choice.

8/24/2007 12:28:00 AM  
Blogger Boris said...

Yep

8/24/2007 06:11:00 AM  
Blogger DB Cooper said...

I don't get it. Why didn't you pick REPUBLICAN Sen. John Warner, back from Baghdad, calling for pull-out from Iraq pullout should start in weeks or at least by Christmas?

8/24/2007 06:23:00 AM  
Blogger Vigilante said...

Because Warner doesn't get it. He wants to blame Maliki. (Go figure!) Maliki may not be the solution - probably not - but he's not the problem. The problem is regime change in Washington. (More on that to come! Watch this space!) Warner doesn't get a pass from me until he points his fickle finger of blame toward Bush & Cheney, clusterfuckers-in-chief.

8/24/2007 08:08:00 AM  
Blogger Emily said...

Your Karl Rove Criterion is valid.

Here is a letter-to-the-editor of the L.A. Times yesterday from Jan Pingleton (Pasadena) which I clipped:

Karl Rove has not resigned. He's as much at the tiller of the Republican smear machine as ever, and his latest potshot aimed at Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is proof. That tearful exhibition of leave-taking from his official role as advisor, complete with encomiums from George Bush, was an egregious sham -- we all know Rove isn't going anywhere. Wherever there is dirt to be dug, slime to be slathered and filth to be flung, Rove will be there orchestrating the show -- except now he won't have to worry how his smear campaigns will reflect on the legacy of the Bush presidency. How else would Bush ever rehabilitate his fruitless presidency except to officially disassociate himself from the ogre who made him?

Meanwhile, in Rove's mind, he is free to be as mean-spirited and ugly-minded as he wants to be because he's "just an opinionated private citizen," and the "fatally flawed" remark aimed at Clinton was just a first salvo. You can expect more vituperation from the grand master of slime -- you can take that prediction to the bank.

8/24/2007 08:38:00 AM  
Blogger Sapo said...

Defeated!

I thought you might have something nice to say about Warner. He wants 5,000 troops out by Chrstmas. What a guy!

8/24/2007 05:43:00 PM  
Blogger Not Your Mama said...

Have to agree with Vigilante, Maliki was always going to be our fall guy.

Not that I feel sorry for him either, he has his own agenda which is, believe it or not, less good than ours and he knew the risks.

Warner is doing a face-saving sidestep. Beats doing nothing but rushing in with a blanket after others have been doing CPR for months doesn't get you a medal.

8/24/2007 11:48:00 PM  
Blogger TomCat said...

I agree with Mama. Warner sees which way the wind is blowing and is making noises to try to stay in power.

Jefferson is a good choice, but I get sick of the GOP trotting him out with each new scandal. Just how many GOP hypocrites is that one Democrat supposed to balance?

8/25/2007 04:45:00 PM  
Blogger Not Your Mama said...

Tomcat, of course they have to trot out Jefferson every 5 minutes now....he's the first fresh chance they've had since "Clinton got a blowjob".

8/25/2007 07:00:00 PM  
Blogger Vigilante said...

Agreed. Jefferson is a gift to the GOP. As long as he remains in Congress, he's a gift that keeps on giving.

8/26/2007 09:07:00 AM  
Blogger E said...

Vigilante, this made me laugh! And cry. Jefferson is a pig. Good choice for some disrespect.

8/26/2007 01:54:00 PM  
Blogger Vigilante said...

Yes, everyone gets it!

Moreover, compare the way Rep. William Jefferson is treated by the MSM with the way Senator Larry Craig is treated!

8/27/2007 08:44:00 PM  

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