Does Rep. William Jefferson have a place in Sen. Pelosi's "most ethical congress in history"?

Question

With the indictment now filed, will Democrat leadership ask Rep. Jefferson to resign from the House? After all, they've demanded resignations from Republicans for far less.

pretzeldent_dumya: just to refresh your memory, Democrats demanded the resignation of Tom DeLay when he was indicted (even though the charges were eventually dropped) and of Trent Lott even though he was never even suspected of doing anything illegal. But no double-standard?

Cheyenne: He is still a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, the committee that writes tax legislation and bills affecting Social Security, Medicare, and other entitlement programs. So ironic it's laughable.

My bad, Pelosi is indeed a Rep. and not a Sen. :) Good catch!

Answer 1

First the facts. Jefferson has long been a known criminal here in New Orleans. But because he is black and a member of the democrat party, he was given a pass.

Under the Speaker (yes she is in the House not the Senate) Pelosi's "most ethical congress in history", Jefferson is but the first of the many democrats who will be indicted for violating ethics rules and the laws they helped to pass. In fact, let's ask about Hillary's travel expenses, Nancy's contracts with companies her husband owns, Harry's landswapping deals, and Diane's contracts with her husband's companies.

It is only a matter of time that the most ethical congress in history will be made clear. Only problem is that the democrats that professed it will be in jail.

Answer 2

Unfortunately he was voted in by his state. As a democrat I say yes he should resign from the congress. There should be no tolerance for illegal activities. The only problem is most of congress democrats and republicans would have to resign. They laugh at us whether we support the democrats or republicans while they line their pockets. What happen to term limits that the republicans promised if they got in ?? Never happened. Let's push for this !!!

Answer 3

When foley was exposed in congress, the repubs universally demanded his resignation, and should he have refused I have no doubt they would have expelled him. It was the right thing to do.

Now will the Dems do the right thing?

My bet is NO.

for those who are ignorant about congress, you should read up on it before you answer a question, but, Congress in both houses have the ability to remove by expulsion any member at any time, so the Dems can most certainly take action. Again my bet is NO they will do nothing.

except continue to be the culture of corruption

Answer 4

That would be embarrassing seeing as how they gave him a standing ovation when he was reelected.
Where did dumbocrats come up with this 'most ethical' nonsense? Does this sound ethical to anyone?

WASHINGTON (AP) - After promising unprecedented openness regarding Congress' pork barrel practices, House Democrats are moving in the opposite direction as they draw up spending bills for the upcoming budget year.
Democrats are sidestepping rules approved their first day in power in January to clearly identify "earmarks"—lawmakers' requests for specific projects and contracts for their states—in documents that accompany spending bills.

Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them.

Answer 5

Does anyone care about the real story behind Jefferson or is it enough to just repeat talking points? Pelosi took him OFF committee until the investigation could be completed. Then the Black Congressional Caucus put pressure on the Dems to reinstate him to committee because nothing had yet been proven, ie innocent until proven guilty or worthy of indictment. Pelosi and most of the Democrats were extremely unhappy about this, but Pelosi reinstated him to committee status on the basis of the Black Caucus' pressure. Nancy Pelosi will not only be glad to demand his resignation, she will be lauded for her original decision to remove him and her objections to reinstating him.

http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2006/05/black_caucus_to.php

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-06-09-jefferson-caucus_x.htm

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Black_Caucus_turns_on_Pelosi_over_0525.html


EDIT:

TD?

No, "they" did not give him a standing ovation, the standing ovation was from the Congressional Black Caucus, please get your story straight.

"On the same day that the 110th Democratic-led Congress convenes with a plan to immediately pass lobbyist and ethics reforms, the Congressional Black Caucus Thursday gave a standing ovation to Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who faces an FBI probe into bribery allegations."

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/congressional-black-caucus-gives.html

Answer 6

Funny how the tune changes when it is one of their own that is indicted.

All they have to do is make up charges and a republican is guility and should be out.

Like Delay.

Oh well unless Pelois ask him to resign from every post she is a hypocrit.

Along with all his defenders that have been going after Bush with their made up charges.

Answer 7

Never going to happen, Pelosi is from the far left wing of the democrat party that constantly says do as I say not as I do.

Answer 8

actually, you should do some research, he was asked to resign by pelosi and the Democratic leadership before they were in power...he refused to do so which was his right as an elected official by the people of his district, now that he has been indicted, they should be able to legally boot him out but it couldn't happen before...look no further then Tom Delay, who has a similar issue

Answer 9

He was immediately asked to resign by his fellow democrats but refused. The only thing they could do was to drop him from any committees. He was re-elected by the people in his district despite his problems. They did everything they can legally do

Answer 10

Maybe he should google Budd Dwyer