The Bureau of Partisan Fairness in Reporting Corruption wrote:
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), the target of a 14-month corruption probe, was videotaped accepting $100,000 in $100 bills from a Northern Virginia investor who was wearing an FBI wire, according to a search warrant affidavit released Sunday.
A few days later, on Aug. 3, 2005, FBI agents raided Jefferson's home in Northeast Washington and found $90,000 of the cash in the freezer, in $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed inside frozen food containers, the document said.
The 83-page affidavit, used to raid Jefferson's Capitol Hill office Saturday night, portrays him as a money-hungry man who freely solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, discussed payoffs to African officials, had a history of involvement in numerous bribery schemes and used his family to hide his interest in high-tech business ventures he promoted in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.
A few days later, on Aug. 3, 2005, FBI agents raided Jefferson's home in Northeast Washington and found $90,000 of the cash in the freezer, in $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed inside frozen food containers, the document said.
The 83-page affidavit, used to raid Jefferson's Capitol Hill office Saturday night, portrays him as a money-hungry man who freely solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, discussed payoffs to African officials, had a history of involvement in numerous bribery schemes and used his family to hide his interest in high-tech business ventures he promoted in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.
I'll start off by saying the same thing I'd be saying about the guy if he was a Pubbie -- throw the book at him. Regardless of affiliation, I'd rather see an honest man in office than a crook. Feel free to pontificate now on how all politicans are crooks, etc.
That said, the idea of ninety grand in foil wrapped bundles shoved into Jolly Green Giant asparagus boxes cracks me up. I suppose that might have kept it from being stolen by a neighborhood burgular but if you're engaged in high levels of federal corruption, you need a better hiding place for your swag than the Frigidaire.
I also liked the Nigeria connection. He should have been sending spam e-mails to Nigeria!
Hello, I am Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) of the United States government. I trust I can deal discreetly with you as I need your help wiring $90,000 out of the United States...
This was no Watergate-like raid. A legitimate suspicion of crime existed, and the fact that he is a Congressman doesn't (or shouldn't) exempt him from both local and federal laws. 