Question: When is a Congressman not a Congressman?
By Vladimir Posted in $90000 | Congress | Dollar Bill | IN HIS FREEZER!! | William Jefferson — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Answer: When he's a shakedown artist!
The question of what constitutes official actions by a congressman is a critical issue in the case. Jefferson's attorneys say that the bulk of the government's case, alleging that the congressman demanded payments to family members in return for his help in winning foreign contracts, doesn't represent bribery because they aren't part of the official duties of a congressman.
In a new development, prosecutors have agreed to refrain from using the Congresssman's nickname in open court, and to avoid referring to certain recent convictions in cases involving Dollar Bill's the Congressman's brother, Mose, in another public bribery case.
Jefferson Nickname Will Be Left Out of Trial
Prosecution won't call him 'Dollar Bill'
The lead prosecutor in the government's corruption case against Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, says the government doesn't intend to mention the congressman's "Dollar Bill" nickname, used by his political enemies, unless the defense claims he is the "victim of entrapment or outrageous government conduct."The stipulation is in a letter from prosecutor Mark Lytle to Jefferson's lead attorney, Robert Trout, released Thursday by the Virginia federal court where Jefferson will face 16 bribery-related charges in a trial scheduled to begin Feb. 25.
In addition to the unflattering nickname, Lytle said that the Justice Department also would not disclose that Jefferson's brother, Mose, was "previously a subject of an investigation." But he offered the same proviso: that the government could renege if issues are raised about entrapment or improper government conduct.
Lytle, who said he was responding to e-mail from Trout, said that the Justice Department believes it would be "perfectly appropriate" to bring up the guilty plea entered last week by Norco businessman Burnell Moliere. Moliere admitted funneling bribes from Mose Jefferson to former Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms. Mose Jefferson has not been charged in the case.
In his letter, Lytle said that Moliere's guilty plea involves a "conspiracy similar in nature to what is alleged in the indictment" of Jefferson -- "i.e., the use of nominees to pay bribes in return for the performance of official acts."
William Jefferson is accused of soliciting and accepting bribes in return for helping individuals and companies win contracts in Africa.