Speaker Pelosi on Jefferson’s indictments:
By on Jun 4th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Speaker Pelosi on Jefferson’s indictments:
“The charges in the indictment against Congressman Jefferson are extremely serious. While Mr. Jefferson, just as any other citizen, must be considered innocent until proven guilty, if these charges are proven true, they constitute an egregious and unacceptable abuse of public trust and power. As we have demonstrated in implementing tough ethics reforms and passing tough lobbying reforms already this year, Democrats are committed to upholding a high ethical standard and eliminating corruption and unethical behavior from the Congress.”
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She shoud have asked him to resign immediately!!!!
June 4th, 2007 at 4:06 pmHe is innocent until proven guilty.
This is a political witch hunt.
Let the show trial begin!
(Correction — this is a Democrat)
This shows that the culture of corruption is bipartisan.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:09 pm#1 – CB
I agree. At the very least take him off any committees he may be on.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:10 pm#1,
EXACTLY!!!!!!
Just like Hillary and Obama waiting until they were certain that their “no” votes would be irrelevant before then voting “no” on the murder bill a week or so ago.
Oh, and how about the “pork” spending practices that are still happening, now just with Democratic shenanigans instead of just Republican shenanigans?
The new sheriff is in town, they just look mighty familiar.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:12 pmI think my poor sycophant followers on the left are now only starting to realize that we Democrats politicians are a bunch of liars.
poor you my naive sheeps, my poor tools. I feel a motherly instinct taking over, I feel like I should pad you on your head. I am sorry that we have let you down.
Why isn’t Pelosi keeping with Republican ethics reforms, anyone that is indicted of a crime while in Congress needs to step down until indictments are cleared. why? Delay had to step down when he was indicted thanks to Republican ethic rules in congress, why won’t we, the Democrats do the same thing?
June 4th, 2007 at 4:13 pmHe is innocent until proven guilty.
This is a political witch hunt.
Let the show trial begin!
(Correction — this is a Democrat)
This shows that the culture of corruption is bipartisan.
Comment by New and Improved RoboTroll 3010 — June 4, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
Look at that, we Democrats claiming that someone is innocent until proven guilty. Funny how we Democrats start spewing this line when it has to do with one of our own, but how fast we convict any Republican on the left.
Example: We have all convicted DeLay despite the fact that he has never been convicted in a court of law.
and worst, we convict Republicans that have never been charged with any crime.
the hypocrisy is outstanding and quite sad.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:15 pmPresident Clinton/valianttheloser
“Look at that, we Democrats claiming that someone is innocent until proven guilty. Funny how we Democrats start spewing this line when it has to do with one of our own, but how fast we convict any Republican on the left.”
You’re not even bright enough to know when someone is using your own talking points. ironically, against you. Perfect!!! :)
Let me know if you need it spelled out for you. I doubt I will do it, but I just want you to admit that your not smart enough to get the joke!!
June 4th, 2007 at 4:18 pmPelosi just might be giving Jefferson some short but reasonable period of time during which to resign before she drops the hammer on him. However, I will be very, very disappointed in her if he isn’t gone either through resignation or removal by the end of this week.
It is time for her and the majority party to start leading by example.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:19 pm#6: Look at that, a moronic troll criticizing Democats based on a misreading of a satirical post — by someone named “RoboTROLL”.
If that’s all you have, Prez C, it is quite sad, indeed.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:20 pmREALLY? Then you are saying IMPEACHMENT IS NOT off the table? Ethics? come on liars…..
June 4th, 2007 at 4:20 pmIt is worth comparing the Democrats’ past disciplining of Jefferson to the Republican “criminalization of politics†defense for their lengthy list of miscreants.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:20 pmYeah, I keep all my extra cash in in the freezer, wrapped in aluminum foil inside my Lean Cuisines. But, did you notice Duke Cunningham’s indictment barely received an announcement from Justice. But, Jefferson received a live news conference from DC.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:24 pmThis shows that the culture of corruption is bipartisan.
WRONG!
Corrupt Dems like Jefferson are the exception rather than the rule.
Corrupt Repukes are the rule. Their entire party is corrupt to the core.
“Both parties are corrupt” is just another Repuke talking point lie.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:25 pmleftcoast,
Good Point
June 4th, 2007 at 4:26 pmthe hypocrisy is outstanding and quite sad.
Comment by President Clinton
#2 is sarcastic. Pathetic.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:27 pmI can easily name 20 republican congressmen off the top of my head that are more corrupt than Jefferson, but that does not excuse his behavior. He should resign immediately.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:27 pmThe Dems need to make an example of this crook, and keep up the pressure on the Repukes.
Unfortunately, Gonzo has wrecked the USDOJ and it is obvious. Its been a few years since Abramoffscam broke, but Gonzo hasn’t indicted anybody.
The only solution is to vote the entire GOP out in 2008. Send them a message.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:33 pm“… and that is why i’m asking mr. jefferson to
resign, immediately.”
right? …
June 4th, 2007 at 4:34 pmHad the suspect been a Republican, in a Republican controlled legislature, we would be hearing protestations of innocence, and cries of foul.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:36 pmJefferson knows himself his own culpability, and he should resign immediately if he is accountable to the charges.
Pelosi must demand his resignation. You cannot be an effective legislator under a cloud of indictment.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:36 pmBut, then again Pelosi should ask for the resignation of the most indictable politician in our history. Oh, I forgot, “Impeachment is off the table”.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:37 pmTough ethics reforms? BWAHAHAHAHA That is laughable. The Democrats campaigned on tough ethics reforms and then backed away from those campaign promises, just as every campaigning politician does.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:38 pmAnd so, we’ll have a whole bunch of hearings in those hallowed halls of congress, pointing fingers, telling lies, denying reality, looking pompous, speaking with devout righteousness, letting any important legislation slip through unread, etc.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:47 pmBusiness as usual.
Then, if convicted or impeached, they’ll let him go on scot free to the typical political retirement: gold watch, speeches, book deals, TV appearances, no restitution.
Had the suspect been a Republican, in a Republican controlled legislature, we would be hearing protestations of innocence, and cries of foul.
Jefferson knows himself his own culpability, and he should resign immediately if he is accountable to the charges.
Comment by heyzeus — June 4, 2007 @ 4:36 pm
The Republicans demanded that DeLay step down as soon as he was indicted, as the Republican Congress ethic rules demanded.
where is the same treatment by Pelosi towards Jefferson?
c’mon, can any one of my sycophant followers answer this?
why won’t Pelosi demand that Jefferson step down as Republicans demanded and got DeLay to step down?
I know why, but can any of my blind, toolish followers answer this simple question?
June 4th, 2007 at 4:47 pmThe Republicans demanded that DeLay step down as soon as he was indicted, as the Republican Congress ethic rules demanded.
Comment by President Clinton — June 4, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
You are WRONG, Prez C.
Delay was indicted Sept 29, 2005. NO ONE in the Republican leadership called for him to step down from his House seat. I can’t remember any Republican at all who ever called for him to step down. He finally resigned his seat on June 6, 2006.
Since the rest of your argument is built on this mistaken understanding of a simple bit of history, maybe you’d care to re-examine your thesis?
June 4th, 2007 at 4:54 pm“The Republicans demanded that DeLay step down as soon as he was indicted, as the Republican Congress ethic rules demanded.”
Comment by President Clinton
Provide links to prove this, if you please.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:55 pmWilliam Jefferson is innocent until proven guilty just like Tom Delay even if I think their both guilty. Let’s see who gets prosecuted.
June 4th, 2007 at 4:56 pmThe Republicans demanded that DeLay step down as soon as he was indicted, as the Republican Congress ethic rules demanded.
Comment by President Clinton — June 4, 2007 @ 4:47 pm
You are WRONG, Prez C.
Delay was indicted Sept 29, 2005. NO ONE in the Republican leadership called for him to step down from his House seat. I can’t remember any Republican at all who ever called for him to step down. He finally resigned his seat on June 6, 2006.
Since the rest of your argument is built on this mistaken understanding of a simple bit of history, maybe you’d care to re-examine your thesis?
Comment by KRank — June 4, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
How little my innocent and naive sycophant followers know.
Under Republican Congress ethic rules, any Congressman who was indicted for anything had to immediatly leave his Congress seat.
where is the Democratic led Congress rule that does the same thing?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:00 pmThe matter of guilt or innocence notwithstanding, I appreciate the difference in assessment between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to judging their own:
Dems: “The charges in the indictment against Congressman Jefferson are extremely serious. If these charges are proven true, they constitute an egregious and unacceptable abuse of public trust and power.”
Reps: “Nothing improper happened.”
what “president clinton” just wrote doesn’t sound right:
“DeLay denied the charges, saying that they were politically motivated, but Republican Conference rules forced him to resign temporarily from his position as Majority Leader. In January 2006, under pressure from fellow Republicans, DeLay announced that he would not seek to return to the position. In the months before and after this decision, two of his former aides were convicted in the Jack Abramoff scandal. DeLay ran for re-election in 2006, and won the Republican primary election in March 2006, but, citing the possibility of losing the general election, he announced in April 2006 that he would withdraw from the race and resign his seat in Congress. He resigned on June 9, 2006, and sought to remove his name from the ballot.”
June 4th, 2007 at 5:04 pmPelosi isn’t going to do anything except shoot her botox face off.
Go new Democrats!
June 4th, 2007 at 5:05 pm#28:”Under Republican Congress ethic rules, any Congressman who was indicted for anything had to immediatly leave his Congress seat.”
June 4th, 2007 at 5:05 pmYou are forgetting perhaps the tremendous effort DeLay spearheaded, with great support from all his cronies, to have that particular rule eliminated before he was indicted…..
President Clinton/valianttheloser
It didn’t happen. He didn’t step down until nearly a year later.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:05 pmThe new Democrats:
Congressional Black Caucus gives Jefferson standing ovation
WASHINGTON (CNN) — 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.
“The haters… and negative nabobs…the people who spoke against him couldn’t prevail against the people who spoke for him,” Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, master of ceremonies for the CBC’s celebratory event, said Thursday morning.
Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, led the charge to remove Jefferson from the House Ways and Means Committee last spring and has said she will not consider reinstating him to the powerful post until he is cleared of all allegations.
The FBI is currently conducting an investigation that alleges Jefferson accepted $100,000 from a telecommunications businessman — $90,000 of which was later recovered in the congressman’s freezer.
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/congressional-black-caucus-gives.html
June 4th, 2007 at 5:06 pmUnder Republican Congress ethic rules, any Congressman who was indicted for anything had to immediatly leave his Congress seat.
Comment by President Clinton — June 4, 2007 @ 5:00 pm
Ah, so that’s how you’re going to defend your statement — make up sh!t that sounds like it supports you.
Unfortunately, your blatantly false claim flies in the face of known facts. If what you claimwere true, then why the eight-month lag between Tom Delay’s indictment and resigjnation? Why was he allowed to run in (and win) the GOP primary for his seat?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:07 pmThe Conservative Voice, May, 2005: “Among those with an opinion and following the issue closely, 59.5%,
suggested that Congressman DeLay resign his leadership position. Another 40.5% said he should not give up his post.”
Let me translate for you trolls. After Tom Delay had been indicted for bribery and racketeering, over 40% of the public which had been following the case didn’t want him to resign. So, get off your high horses. Pelosi stripped Jefferson of his committee positions in the face of strong opposition in the Congressional Black Caucus. Delay, by comparison, tried to have the rules changed so that he wouldn’t have to step down.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:12 pmm12, your article about the Black Caucus was written in January, 6 months ago, long before he was indicted. Would it be too much to ask you to be intellectually honest?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:15 pm#36
Why is the corrupt black caucus cheering someone under investigation?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:17 pmm12, your article about the Black Caucus was written in January, 6 months ago, long before he was indicted. Would it be too much to ask you to be intellectually honest?
Comment by Bluedog49 — June 4, 2007 @ 5:15 pm
No, don’t get up, m12 — let me handle this:
Yes.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:19 pmTime to kick him out.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:19 pmm12,
“Why is the corrupt black caucus cheering someone under investigation?”
Why is waht’s left of the Republican Party still cheering for Scooter Libby, and he’s actually been convicted?!?!?!?
The people who cheered for him are idiots. Plain and simple.
But I guess since you want to lump all people who affiliate with a viewpoint, into one huge group, I guess we can do the same with you. I suppose you think Scooter Libby, Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, et al, deserve pardons?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:22 pmWhy is the corrupt black caucus cheering someone under investigation?
Comment by m12 — June 4, 2007 @ 5:17 pm
Maybe the same reason the corrupt GOP cheers someone like Scooter Libby, who’s been convicted? Ya think?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:23 pm#40
Who’s cheering for Scooter Libby? Certainly not the GOP members of Congress.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:31 pmWho’s cheering for Scooter Libby? Certainly not the GOP members of Congress. Comment by m12 — June 4, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
You are b!tch! Along with the rest of your PRO-CORRUPTION wingnuttery… Or hadn’t you figured out that he “Obstructed-Justice” in an illegal outing of a COVERT CIA AGENT? Traitor!
June 4th, 2007 at 5:34 pmOne could make the argument that the donations towards Libby’s continual fund is support (cheering) for Libby.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:48 pmWow. No one’s cheering for Scooter Libby now? How quickly things change.
Or stay the same.
Do prospective presidential candidates count?
June 4th, 2007 at 5:50 pmm12 sez:
Well…here’s a few…
Honestly, m12…
June 4th, 2007 at 5:50 pmAnyone notice that when Prez C’s argument (Republicans are more ethical than Democrats because their rules required Delay to immediately resign his seat) was well and truly shot down, then m12 got tagged and tried to obfuscate with his CBC “cheering” dodge (which has also been well and truly shot down, just as sure as one of Dick Cheney’s hunting buddies)?
Interesting how sometimes the trolls will work in tandem.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:55 pm#45
Moral support for a friend is equivalent to cheering in the halls of the Capitol building?
Wow, you lefties are really stretching.
June 4th, 2007 at 6:13 pm#46
At least they aren’t members of Congress.
June 4th, 2007 at 6:13 pmHey, anybody see the goalposts? They were here just a minute ago. m12! Did you move the goalposts?!
“Moral support for a friend is equivalent to cheering in the halls of the Capitol building?”
Yes. It is equivalent.
Can you explain the substantive difference? Does it have to do with the “halls of the Capitol building”? Is it because you don’t think the members of the CDC were “friends” of Jefferson?
Or is it the noise that the “cheers” made? Is THAT the difference?
June 4th, 2007 at 6:33 pm#50
Either or, take your pick. Neocons at a fundraising dinner don’t control the $3t national budget, last time I checked.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:24 pmA Republican in the same situation would have said, “You’re doing a great job, Billy!”
June 4th, 2007 at 7:38 pmEither or, take your pick. Neocons at a fundraising dinner don’t control the $3t national budget, last time I checked.
Comment by m12 — June 4, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Your point? Oh, you don’t have one. I see. Thanks.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:38 pmYo, m12, since when does the Congressional Black Caucus “control the $3t national budget”? When was the last time you actually checked?
June 4th, 2007 at 7:41 pmWTF are you talking about ?
June 4th, 2007 at 7:44 pmThe FBI raided this guy almost two years ago and found what zero people on the planet earth disputed was piles of bribe money.
Who do you think you are kidding apart from yourself ?
Cosidering there were several hundred posts here about Libby and Plame and none of them involved anyone being charged with illegally outing a CIA agent, one might have hoped you had figured that situation out by now.
Too busy cheering “Fitzmas” to notice no doubt.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:49 pmHow are you less intellectually dishonest in than him here ?
You’re apparently suggesting that this indictment was the pivotal turning point in whether the man found to be stockpiling bribe money in his home should have been treated as a corrupt individual. That today is different from yesterday in this regard.
If you believe he is intellectually dishonest for making no distinction here then you need to.
State that until today you differred from every other person on the planet in knowing that the congressman had been found to be taking bribes as per the raids and the bribe money found. Tell us how much of a shock it’s been and how you’re coping.
June 4th, 2007 at 7:58 pmCannot help but notice that Pelosi made what must be deemed a purposeful and highly disturbing distinction.
When the Speaker of the House, someone in a high position of influence and authority in the body which makes the laws all but states outright that the presumption of innocence is limited or reserved only to a “citizen” as opposed to any person, we have crossed a parlous Rubicon indeed.
June 4th, 2007 at 9:02 pm“WTF are you talking about ?
The FBI raided this guy almost two years ago and found what zero people on the planet earth disputed was piles of bribe money.”
-Kilo
HAHA! So now you’re saying anyone under investigation should immediately resign? Wow, you better get to work helping replace a WHOLE LOT of Rethugs then.
June 4th, 2007 at 9:21 pmWyoming Senator Craig Thomas has died, according to his family, The Associated Press reports. CNN working to confirm.
June 4th, 2007 at 10:54 pmWhile not excusing any corrupt behavior of a Democratic Congressman, the country would not have gotten into the worst ethical mess it has seen in decades, perhaps ever, if the Republicans were as eager to call their own to task as they were to call Congressman Jefferson to task.
When the FBI raided Congressman’s Jefferson’s office, that was the first time in the history of the country that the FBI raided a Congressman’s office. That makes one wonder if the FBI and those eight justice attorneys were mindful of the same “higher” calling.
The Bush team certainly wanted something to “balance” their culture of corruption. Of course nothing could. The House Ethics Committee “flat out refused” to investigate Mr. DeLay. The country never would have gotten introduced to Mr. Abramoff if it had to wait for the House Ethics Committee to investigate Mr. DeLay.
There are some comments on Republicans and corruption at: http://www.republicancorruption.com/
June 5th, 2007 at 2:00 amI think the sxpression would read,”Everybody funny!”
June 5th, 2007 at 7:21 amYa don’t say.
June 5th, 2007 at 9:51 amWhile we’re at it there are some men with beards at http://www.menwithbeards.com
Kilo,
My info links Republicans to corruption. Yours links men to beards.
Another example of : Sometimes Mouth Better Left Shut!
June 5th, 2007 at 10:54 amDemocrats are committed to upholding a high ethical standard and eliminating corruption and unethical behavior from the Congress.†Sure they are , may I have a glass of that Democrat koolade so I can become a DEMWIT and Believe ?
June 5th, 2007 at 11:40 ambezelt we know the truth Bush made Vernon Jordan force William Jefferson not Clinton though he wishes he was take those bribes
June 5th, 2007 at 11:42 am# 65 with an identity crisis,
I am sure you said something, because it took up “type space”. But it could have been a no-brainer like what the Vice President said of water torture of terror suspects.
June 5th, 2007 at 11:50 am#66,
Why is it HARD TO get a right winger to talk about the accomplishes of his party? After all the Republicans have tampered with a ton of stuff but not one word on how it fared.
As far as ethics go, you can’t get much lower than revealing the identity of a CIA operative. And no foreign country did it. America did it. It looked like it was a product of someone very, very, very, very close to the Bush team.
So, that leaves the right wing bloggers with not much to talk about except, maybe, keep everybody distracted. And above all – STAY AWAY FROM POLITICS – I MEAN POLITICS THAT CAN BE VERIFIED.
June 5th, 2007 at 12:06 pmBack in late 2004, the House Ethics Committee showed the electorate just what it could do with its request to investigate Mr. Tom DeLay. That House Ethics Committee would be from the old Congress. The electorate not withstanding – that House Ethics Committee refused to investigate Mr. DeLay!! Then to escape the “noise” of the electorate, it went into “hibernation”.
If you are not a Republican, it is quite likely that you find that unbelievable and unacceptable! The United States Constitution gives Congress the right to investigate itself. But it appears that the United States Constitution never anticipated the likes of the Bush team.
June 7th, 2007 at 7:48 amIs this or is this not the FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA THAT THE FBI RAIDED A CONGRESSMAN’S OFFICE?
If the answer is yes, then it looks like the FBI ,at the time of that raid, had never raided the office of any American Congressman. Why is that?
Under this Bush administration would the FBI have raided a Republican Congressman’s office? Would the FBI have raided Mr. Tom DeLay’s office? If the FBI had raided A Republican’s office(at that time) would the Bush team approve?
Why is it that America’s resources now seems to be used to help a particular political party? Even if the cause is worthy, why is it that so many of America’s organizations seems to be operating in a mode that is favorable to a particular political party?
It didn’t used to be that way.
It wasn’t that way under the senior Bush. It wasn’t that way or it wasn’t as bad under Nixon. It certainly wasn’t that way under Eisenhower.
But the Bush team is different.
June 7th, 2007 at 8:18 am“Delay was indicted Sept 29, 2005. NO ONE in the Republican leadership called for him to step down from his House seat. I can’t remember any Republican at all who ever called for him to step down. He finally resigned his seat on June 6, 2006.” -Krank
How do you know this? Because your fellow libs told you that no one did? And notice how they restrict it to the “Republican leadership”. Fact of the matter is that Chris Shays was calling for Tom Delay to step down months before Delay’s indictment, among others.
June 28th, 2007 at 10:50 am