Can Democrats vote their conscience

Today is the day we find out whether Democrats can vote their conscience, or if typical urban Democratic machine politics still trumps everything else. In Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District, indicted Congressman William Jefferson is running against a list of opponents who all talk about the history of corruption that has been the hallmark of Jefferson's reign. The fact that Jefferson has yet to come to trial is due to the constant stalling tactics used by his defense team, the latest over whether Brett Pfeffer, a one-time aide of Jefferson's and confessed participant in the bribery scandal, would be barred from testifying against he former boss on Constitutional Reasons.

I fully expect Jefferson to be re-elected even though Green Malik Rahim is clearly the one candidate who brings a history of community involvement, a progressive agenda and, most importantly, honesty to the voters of the 2nd District. If we wake up tomorrow and find that Jefferson has won, then the battle for clean government switches to California where we must pressure Speaker Pelosi to do the right thing and refuse to seat Jefferson, taking away all of his power to influence anything and thus his ability to continue his money hungry ways.

Fraud is the family business

I was highly motivated to get further into politics by Pete McCloskey and the Revolt of the Elders committee that he set up. The purpose was to clean up the Republican Party, especially to purge those members of the House of Representatives who had betrayed its purpose and trashed what honor it still had.

That same motivation led me to pay more attention to a Louisiana Congressman known as Cold Cash Jefferson who this month faces both a re-elect and a trial on corruption charges. Then, today, in the Times-Picayune, I read that fraud seems to be the family business. Details when you click Read more!.


I was really trying to confirm the trial date for Congressman Jefferson when I stumbled on this item about the trial of two others from his family.

The federal fraud trial of Mose and Betty Jefferson, two of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson's elder siblings, has been postponed until Feb. 9.

The trial had been set for Dec. 1, but the Jeffersons' original lawyer, Ike Spears, was disqualified from the case at the government's request. Mose Jefferson has since retained Arthur "Buddy" Lemann, while Betty Jefferson -- who is also the city's 4th District assessor -- is represented by Eddie Castaing.

Mose and Betty Jefferson , along with Betty Jefferson's daughter, Angela Coleman, are charged with bilking a group of charities they controlled of more than $600,000.

It is more than interesting to see an assessor on trial for fraud. It makes me wonder just how many tax dollars are being collected from those with the money to make a contribution. Such a contrast. Malik Rahim pours all he has into Common Ground Collective and the Jeffersons take a $600,000 from a charity.

This kind of corruption has to be stopped, now. This election. Tall everyone you know to contibute to the Campaign of Malik Rahim. You can read about the good he has done, in comparison to the Jeffersons, at this link and you can contribute here.

It isn't over until it is over

Last night, this country chose a new president. It made major changes in the makeup of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, where 433 of 435 seats were up for grabs. The other two were in the 2nd and 4th Congressional Districts in Louisiana. Earlier planned runoff elections were cancelled due to Hurricans Gustav and Ike made enough of a mess that the runoffs were moved to Nov. 4 and the general election for these seats to Dec. 6.

Green Malik Rahim will be running on December 6. Click Read more! and I will tell you why this is now the most important election in the country.


In the Democratic Party runoff last night, the incumbent, William Jefferson defeated local media personality Helena Moreno.

• William J. Jefferson

  92,086

  56.76%

  
  

• Helena Moreno

  70,159

  43.24%

  
  

Here are some facts you need to knew. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CRES) named William Jefferson as one of the 10 most corrupt politicians in Washington. This is what they have to say about him.

On June 4, 2007, Rep. Jefferson was indicted on 16 criminal counts, including two counts of conspiracy to solicit bribes, two counts of solicitation of bribes by a public official, six counts of honest services fraud by wire, one count of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, three counts of money laundering, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of racketeering. The indictment stems from multiple instances in which Rep. Jefferson agreed to perform official acts for 11 different companies in return for bribes payable to him and his family members. The indictment was the culmination of a criminal investigation that began in approximately March 2005.

Folks, Jefferson's trial begins on December 2, just four days before the election. You might wonder how someone can face this and still win? Well, last night, Sen. Ted Stevens won re-election to the Senate from Alaska after being convicted on corruption charges this month.

While Jefferson has been rebuilding his family fortunes, Malik Rahim has been rebuilding NOLA. When government could not keep the lights on during Hurricane Katrina, Rahim and his Common Ground non-profit did. When government could not keep it's promises to rebuild New Orleans, Rahim has gotten over 2,000 home rebuilt or refurbished.

I know we all have some degree of election fatigue right now, but this is one election that we have to win. Rahim needs all the help he can get and then some. That is why I now have his campaign highlighted in the right side menu of the home page. Just go there, click his name and make a contribution.

Pete McCloskey has been quoted as saying that "Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed frequently... and for the same reason." We now have a chance to change one very dirty diaper.