This has just started being reported on local news here in New Orleans. Congressman William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, must be the target of some investigation. His Office in DC and his home in New Orleans have been raided today. The local news says also that his car has been searched. No word yet on what this possibly can be about. A relative of his has been under investigation locally for some time now. But no one knows if there is any connection.
My personal views on Jefferson are as follows. He is old school and stale and I have never liked him personally. However, I usually agree with his votes in the House of Representatives. On the other hand he was one of the "Gang of 15" Representatives to vote for CAFTA. Supposedly, the port of New Orleans stands to gain "thousands" of jobs through the agreement. First of all, I'm skeptical about that. Second of all, I don't believe we should have to sacrifice a huge and important industry here, SUGAR, in order to help another, the port.
More below the fold:
His seat in congress should remain safely in Democratic hands regardless of the outcome of this. His district is overwhelmingly minority and encompasses most of Orleans Parish.
Here's an article on this from a local news station:
Federal agents search William Jefferson's Orleans, D.C. homes
06:32 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 3, 2005
WWLTV.com
Federal agents executed search warrants on the Washington D.C. and New Orleans homes of Congressman William Jefferson of New Orleans Wednesday. The Congressman confirmed the raid in a press release issued just after 4 p.m.
WWL-TV
Men with crowbars and hammers showed up at the door of the Jefferson home during the search.
The downtown office of Jefferson's financial advisor, Jack Swetland, and Jefferson's personal car were also searched.
Agents from the FBI and Department of Justice were inside of Jefferson's New Orleans home for several hours Wednesday afternoon and they emerged just after 5 p.m. with boxes that were put into vans.
No one on the scene would comment on the reasons for the raid and Brian Sierra, a spokesman at the Department of Justice in Washington, offered little explanation.
"There were searches executed today in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation," Sierra said. "As it is a criminal investigation we will not be able to comment any further."
Locally, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said he wasn't in a position to say anything.
Congressman Jefferson said in a statement that he wasn't sure of the reasons behind the raids.
"Subpoenas were issued to me, in my official capacity, to the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and to members of my Washington and New Orleans office staff," said Jefferson's statement.
"I do not know the extent or precise nature of this investigation, but I am cooperating fully with the authorities."
Although neither Jefferson nor Sierra gave the point of the raid, Jefferson's brother-in-law, a former state judge, recently was convicted of mail fraud in a wide-ranging investigation of bail bond corruption in suburban New Orleans.
The brother-in-law, Alan Green, was the 14th defendant convicted in the investigation called "Operation Wrinkled Robe." The others, including a former judge, Ronald Bodenheimer, pleaded guilty.
According to federal court documents, in a recorded conversation, Jefferson asked Green to raise money for Jefferson's daughter's successful 2003 campaign for the Legislature. The records show that Green agreed to help.
The Louisiana Code of Judicial Conduct bars judges from asking for campaign donations on behalf of political candidates.
Previously, Jefferson said that he recalled the conversation with Green, but the request for help was familial -- and not political in nature.
"To my knowledge, nothing resulted from the conversation - the campaign did not receive any money from Judge Green or anyone who may have been prompted by him to contribute -- and there were no further conversations on the matter," Jefferson said.
Former federal prosecutor Shaun Clarke said prosecutors must have had a solid reason to convince higher ups to okay the raids.
"To raid the home and financial advisor of a sitting Congressman is an extraordinary event," he said. "It had to be cleared by the appropriate channels at the top of the department."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.