One of the repeated mantras of Dem chairman Howard Dean has been that the power given to the Democrats in the 2006 election was simply a loan from the American people. They can take it away at any given time. So, someone explain to me why on God’s green earth the Democratic leadership would 
be so utterly asinine, moronic and downright stupidly suicidal to put William Jefferson on one of the most important committees in congress?
Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who’s facing an ongoing federal corruption probe, is being granted a spot on the Homeland Security Committee, according to Democratic aides.
The appointment will be announced Friday, according to one aide who requested anonymity because the decision isn’t yet official.
…
The committee oversees the Homeland Security Department and its web of agencies designed to protect against terrorism on U.S. soil.
The committee has oversight of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was widely panned for its response to Hurricane Katrina in Jefferson’s hometown of New Orleans.
As a member of the committee, Jefferson will not have direct oversight of the FBI or the Justice Department.
A former Jefferson aide has already pleaded guilty to corruption in the ongoing investigation, as has a businessman who alleged in his plea agreement that he bribed Jefferson in order to win contracts with African nations.
That’s right, Jefferson, who was caught with $90,000 in cash in his freezer, is going to be on the Homeland Security Committee? In all likelihood this is being done to satiate the howling of the Congressional Black Caucus, but it just is not worth it. The CBC is already dirty from their previous support of Jefferson, and this just makes them worse for allowing cronyism to triumph over plain common sense: you don’t put a crook on a major committee, if any committee at all.
If the Democratic party wants to maintain and grow its majority, this is not the way and they bring shame on those who are its strongest supporters and more importantly, it brings shame to the U.S. House of Representatives.
My take on this, concerning the money in his freezer. Allegdely the feds have him on audio and video taking a $100k bribe. A sting. That means they have the bills marked, the serial numbers recorded, etc. They raid his house, find $90K in his freezer, but don’t arrest him. They then raid his congressional office, without legal precedent. Hasn’t ever been done, to my understanding. I wouldn’t want to be the judge who signed that warrant. The only reason I can think of is that the money in the freezer wasn’t part of the $100K bribe, and they went to his office looking for it. This isn’t a defense of Jefferson, just my limited opinion on how bizarre this whole thing has been.
Albert Hall?
OW - It certainly removes the Dems’ ability to claim that they’ve changed the Culture of Corruption (TM) in Washington…
It’s one thing to keep a guy in a power position b/c you’re not sure of the facts of the case. It’s another thing to elevate someone who is under a criminal investigation.
Regards,
St Wendeler
Another Rovian Conspiracy
Jefferson has a spot on the Homeland Security Committee because it has oversight responsibilities over FEMA.
Some of you may remember Katrina, the levee breach and subsequent flooding and utter devastation of NOLA.
Jefferson’s malfeasance pales in comparison to the malfeasance of FEMA and the Bush administration in their response to the continuing botched recovery assistance to NOLA and the MS Gulf coast.
Um, Oliver, if you read the article, Jefferson was removed from Ways & Means by Pelosi. Now, which is a more powerdul committee, Homeland Security or Ways & Means? Right. So his demotion is still getting you all outraged.
You really, really, really, really need to get the hell out of D.C.
He was demoted to small business, now he’s being promoted to Homeland Security. We in D.C. are perfectly able to read.
On the one hand, what better place to put someone under suspicion than over seeing a whole agency under suspicion.
On the other hand, he may be able to do some good, given his district, etc.
I need more information on this. It boggles my moral sense and seems so stupid on the surface that I’m thinking maybe there’s more to this story than we know so far. Could there have been more to lose by NOT giving him the appointment?
He needs to chair the navel-gazing committee until his trial is over.
Oh come on. We all know that ‘culture of corruption’ crap was only used to get Bush. Just like your ‘concern’ about the release of classified information re Plame. Bad if Rs do it, but alls OK if it gets Bush. Thats your life meaning.
We all know that ‘culture of corruption’ crap was only used to get Bush.
But we haven’t “gotten” him, have we?
This one hurts.
Above, Aaron suggests Jefferson’s involvement with FEMA would be a good thing.
Recall: when his constituents went wading through chest-deep water for a loaf of bread, Jefferson used the National Guard to take him to his house.
I think every member sits on *some* committee, but in Jefferson’s case, I’d make an exception.
This one hurts.
Above, Aaron suggests Jefferson’s involvement with FEMA would be a good thing.
Recall: when his constituents went wading through chest-deep water for a loaf of bread, Jefferson used the National Guard to take him to his house.
I think every member sits on *some* committee, but in Jefferson’s case, I’d make an exception.
He was doing a heck-of-a job . . . ?
Just when I think I have political agendas all parsed out somebody tosses a squib into the fireplace.
LB
I forget who made this joke, but it’s good: “If Nancy Pelosi is draining the swamp in the House of Representatives, then Jack Murtha must be a protected wetland.”
Looks like we can add Jefferson to the protected wetland list as well.