Here we go again, separation of powers, individual rights, next will have the recial issue come along. Why would you keep money in your freezer? Must have been hot money. Get rid of him, the sooner the better.

We don't call him "Dollar" Bill Jefferson for nothing here in Louisiana.

Too often here in Louisiana we only have the choice between bad and worse. The mayor's election is an example - choose between an idiot or a socialist. The people selected the idiot.

Hmmm...I seem to recall seeing video of former US Rep and then La. State Sen. Cleo Fields stuffing $20K cash in his pockets, allegedly from Edwin Edwards, and US Atty. Eddie Jordan's refusal to pursue the matter, while others (including Edwards) went to prison. Cleo continues to serve the citizens of La. Sen. District 14! Jefferson, if he runs and does not get arrested, will win easily. Many voters only look at the color of one's skin when voting...nothing else, including ethics, matters to them.

frist is complaining---methinks the apple is falling too close the tree

Perhaps bringing back "Tar and Feathering" might be the kick in the rear our elected officials need.
"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

So, what do you expect from a socialist government, honesty and integrity? Not one of our duly elected and appointed have either of those qualities.

Socialist you ask? D**n right. The Republic is long dead, replacesd by a "democracy. What's the difference? Well stated in a military training manual (TM 2000-25) that was removed from use and ordered "destroyed" by FDR:

Democracy:
.A government of the masses.
Authority derived through mass meeting or any other form of
"direct " expression.
Results in mobocracy.
Attitude toward property is communistic-negating property
rights.
Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate,
whether it be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, preju-
dice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences..
Results in demagogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy.

Republic:
Authority is derived through the election by the people of public
officials best fitted to represent them.
Attitude toward property is respect for laws and individual rights,
and a sensible economic procedure.
Attitude toward law is the administration of justice in accord with
fixed principles and established evidence, with a strict regard to
consequences.
A greater number of citizens and extent of territory may be
brought within its compass.
Avoids the dangerous extreme of either tyranny or: mobocracy.
Results in statesmanship, liberty, reason, justice, contentment, and
progress.

‘None are so hopelessly enslaved as those that falsely believe they are free, truth has been kept from the depths of their minds, by masters who fool them with lies, they feed them with falsehoods till wrong seems like right in their minds… ‘ – words from the song “Jesus, The Way and the Truth and the Life.

I agree, Lousiana desperately need honest effective leadership.

Jefferson has to go! There are plenty of people who could do better then the ones in office there now.

Corruption is corruption, no matter who they are and they don't deserve to be a leader anywhere, ever again. That includes all Parties.

Hmmnn...let me see, wasn't late President Johnson a poor school teacher in a one room school house when elected to Congress, and decades later retired to his thousands of acres ranch in Texas?
Is working as a servant for the people that profitable? But as Congressman Jefferson says, "There's two sides to the story..."

Desperate times call for desparate actions. I hope they find out how much cold hard cash he had stashed in the freezer in his flooded out house in New Orleans.

The corrupt congressmen will use any argument they can dream up to hide their crookedness. Thanks for the FBI! We need more tools to catch the crooks, not ways to protect them. Now we need judges that will put the crooks away for a LONG time.
John

I, like most people I know am conservative on some issues and liberal on others. I support the right to bear arms, I believe in capital punishment, both conservative view points. On the other hand I am pro choice and believe the environment needs strong protection, two liberal view points. I am divided on an assortment of other issues which seem to divide in Washington along party lines. The Republicans, of which I am a registered member currently control the executive, legislative, and pretty much the judicial branches of government and to me that seems not a good thing, possibly a dangerous thing. I keep hearing about how the Democrats will make big gains in the legislative branch in the upcoming elections and as a conservative/liberal I see that as a good thing. On the other hand the Democrats are as bad as the Republicans in their own way. We need a third party that is not on the right or left edge of politics but solidly in the middle. I'm not looking for Democrats or Republicans, I'm looking for humans for office.

I'm sorry if the upper crust is upset by this. So sad their illusion was shattered; apparently they supposed their congressional offices did double duty as sanctuaries for evidence of their crimes.

This guy has all kinds of defenses:
separation of powers, white govenment out to ruin his reputation, having the money is crime, and on and on. And he will, no doubt, be re-elected. As one responded, it is a government and offices of the people, by the people and for the people. Not for the corrupt politicians.

Much ado about nothing. The Congress has the power to enact laws about search warrants. Most of the members are lawyers or have access to them. So, the separation of powers rapping is just that. Signed, a lawyer admitted to practice in three states.

Democrat rules: Cash in a freezer don't count; Papers in an office can't be touched; Cops are for punching, and drunken driving at 2-AM is no problem. We need a major overhaul of Congress!

Gimme a break. Break the law and then complain that your ill begotten gains should be free of search because you hide it in your capitol hill office and then both sides of the aisle come to your aide? We have 535 members who just can't relate to us "common folk". Throws the bums out. Kudo's to Judge Hogan and the men and women of the FBI.

I've seen the crook in Jeferson the first time I saw him. He and Cleo, should be procecuted, but brother Eddie let Cleo off this time. Why did Jefferson need to get the national guard to bring him to his house after the storm, and the helicopter that was used to get him back after the truck got stuck? He had to get the rest of his money, thats why.

Regretably the case for Rep. Jefferson does not look good. the sad thing is that the time he served as well as all of the good can be simply erase by such a potentially sordid deed. We pray for him, his family and the people whom he served that they will receive the best which is to come.

The government has so much power to do good; but it is clearly dangerous in the hands of few individuals. "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

That is why the news, vote and the process is so important. Most people's idea of government is when they need something, have to pay taxes or get ready to vote. It is incumbent upon every citizen to make sure that the country is run decently and in order. This will not happen unless we pay close attention to the issues and the world around us.
This is still not the biggest issue going. Rising gas prices from a group of companies who make record PROFITS year after year and barely pay taxes. Wars in remote places where we tear down and then bill the US to rebuild it. Falling down schools and rising health costs right here. Increased crime! If you really want to do something newsworthy shine th light on SOLUTIONS to these situations, because right now the corruption is not some guy potentially taking a couple of hundred thousand dollars. But the ones who operate at the millions and billions dollar levels who keep the little ones in the news to keep the light off of them.

Democrats and Republicans. One is a white horse with black stripes and the other is a black horse with white stripes. It still black and white to me!

As a proud independent, I am happy to stand neither with the right or the left. Standing inbetween allows me to think for myself and to see the corruption of both the right and the left. I hate politics and I am native Washingtonian. What I hate more than politics, is corrupt politicians. I think the good guys in politics can be counted on one hand. It's an ego driven way to make a living. Most of those in politics care not about what they speak. Like Al Gore, for example. A man I know went to school with him. When Al Gore decided to run for a TN Senate seat, he needed "an issue" to make his own. That's how the environment became "his issue". Because it became a hot issue, he has continued with it. As I said, I don't like politicians. Honesty and intergrity are two things that escape them.

This corruption train won't stop with just Congressman Jefferson, I'm sure his children will be implicated as well. From all accounts in the newspapers, it looks like he was doing this with his children in mind. This could end with another political conviction; his daughter who serves in the LA House of Representatives.