FBI Raid
The FBI launched a search of Representative William Jefferson (D-LA) last night. It looks like things are heating up in the corruption investigation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that the unusual raid on a Congressional office began about 7:15 p.m., when agents entered Mr. Jefferson's suite of offices in the Rayburn House Office Building, and was being conducted as part of an "ongoing corruption investigation."
The statement offered no details of what was sought or of how long F.B.I. agents would remain in the building, which is across the street from the Capitol.
An F.B.I. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the continuing criminal investigation, said it was the first time the agency had raided a lawmaker's office on Capitol Hill.
Vernon Jackson, a Kentucky businessman, admitted bribing Jefferson to the tune of close to $400,000 in exchange for help in securing contracts in Western Africa. The FBI has already raided Jefferson's home(s) and also searched the home of the vice-president of Nigeria. The House ethics committee has also opened an investigation.
UPDATE: Okay, if this report is true, the Democrats have to jettison this man at once if they want to keep any credibility. This is simply open corruption of the worst kind and even keeping Jefferson anywhere near the rest of the party slimes everyone.
By Truzenzuzex, May 21, 2006 @ 6:47 am
Ah the “culture of corruption (TM)”…
Oh, wait. Jefferson is a Democrat you say? Surely that must be a misprint, I heard Pelosi and Reid say that it’s the Republicans who have cornered the market on corruption.
Well. I suppose next, we’ll hear Pelosi and Reid blaming free market principles for this imbroglio.
By Blackhawk, May 21, 2006 @ 11:44 pm
And a structured economy doesn’t have corruption? I personally blame literacy, education, civilizations, society, even human existence for corruption, and want to know what our government is doing about it.