NOLA Runoff Election Today
Ethically challenged Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson faces challenger Karen Carter today in the runoff for in Louisana's 2nd Congressional district. They're both Dems, but the race holds national implications both for New Orleans rebuilding and the party's image of reform.
In the tradition of Dan Quayle selling potato chips and Milli Vanilli appearing in a Memorex ad, Jefferson could have a promising future as Frigidaire spokesperson if things don't work out.
Get results here starting at 6:00 p.m.
[UPDATE: "Confounding political pundits and a slew of rivals who had become confident of his defeat, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, neatly sidestepped a roiling federal corruption probe to win re-election on Saturday to his ninth term in Congress..." Read the story here.]
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Dec. 09, 2006
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Dec 9, '06
Were I in LA, I'd vote for Carter. Considering Jefferson's ...um... ethics, perhaps he be be better suited to run as a member of the GOP.
Dec 9, '06
Jefferson won by a landslide. Louisiana is a festering toilet of corruption.
Dec 9, '06
[Off topic, ad hominem personal attacks deleted. -- Editor]
6:56 a.m.
Dec 10, '06
Jefferson will more than likely be indicted in March or April and be forced to resign. This is more about Jefferson parrish and african-american churches and their blind support for him.
There is incredible albeit, inexplicable, trust in him, in spite of several of his aides and associates already being convicted of bribery and pointing the finger directly at Jefferson, who of course is still trying to explain why he had a "cool" 90 grand stashed in his refrigerator.
Of course, barring a miracle, he could continue to stay in office. I wouldn't count on it. He'd better savor this victory, because I don't think he'll finish out his term.
Dec 10, '06
TomCat:
Were I in LA, I'd vote for Carter. Considering Jefferson's ...um... ethics, perhaps he be be better suited to run as a member of the GOP.
Bob Tiernan:
Why? Do you think that the Democrats are inherently pure, and made of sugar and spice and everything nice? What a naive, going-nowhere kind of view.
Those who have a double standard in their defense of either the Republicans or the Democrats are part of the problem.
Bob Tiernan
Dec 10, '06
Bob, I don't think so at all. Rather, I think that the record of the GOP, especialliy in the infamous 109th, is so thoroughly impure that Jefferson would fit well into that pattern. When a Democrat is corrupt, I'll call it, and Jefferson should be forced to resign, just like those stalwarts of GOP purity Cunningham, DeLay and Foley.
Dec 10, '06
Anonymous Author of this thread:
How did Rep. Jefferson "neatly sidestep a roiling Federal corruption probe..."?
His reelection has no bearing on the federal corruption investigation. If anything, it enhances the odds he may face impeachment for bribery.
It underlines the belief that New Orleans/Louisiana is the most corrupt city and state in the country: if they reelect a hack like Jefferson, they deserve what they get.
Dec 10, '06
To the anonymous Mr. T--
Bruce Alpert, Frank Donze, and Michelle Krupa of the New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote the above lede (with full story linked).
And obviously they did not write that Jefferson sidestepped the federal probe in any legal sense, but that he overcame the investigation electorally.
1:32 p.m.
Dec 10, '06
Thanks, Frank, for standing up for BlueOregon's editors. I didn't happen to be the one who wrote up this item, but I'll stand by it. Perhaps a better approach would be a direct quote from the Times-Picayune, but whatever.
Dec 10, '06
[Quotation marks, in addition to the italics and "read the story" link, have been added. -- Editor]
Dec 10, '06
Frank:
This is not a semantics question.
Please explain how Rep. Jefferson "overcame the investigation electorally". His reelection has no impact on the criminal investigation based on my reading.
It might be appropriate to write that he "overcame the criticism of those who said he was unfit to run for reelection." You might even suggest he "sidestepped questions surrounding the roiling federal corruption probe..."
It is intellectually dishonest (or sloppy editing) to suggest the electoral victory has the slightest impact on the investigation. It does not.
Dec 10, '06
Once more -- and this is not complicated -- this was the lede from the Times-Picayune story linked above:
"Confounding political pundits and a slew of rivals who had become confident of his defeat, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, neatly sidestepped a roiling federal corruption probe to win re-election on Saturday to his ninth term in Congress..."
Again, you are misreading what Bruce Alpert, Frank Donze, and Michelle Krupa wrote -- that Jefferson's investigation did not prevent his reelection -- but you're welcome to write a letter to the editor at nola.com directly. Knock yourself out.
No one from the Times-Picayune -- and no one on this blog -- is conflating yesterday's election results with Jefferson's ongoing criminal investigation. If you actually read the article, it makes the explicit point that Jefferson's troubles are far from over.
BTW, you wrote above, "if they reelect a hack like Jefferson, they deserve what they get." It's too bad that Jefferson parish followed the advice of their Sheriff and largely stayed home, but I wonder how consistent your logic is. I wasn't happy to see Bush narrowly re-elected, but when I see this disaster of a Presidency and the harm it's inflicting on our country and world, I don't say, well, "the American people deserve what they get." Do you? If so, why do YOU hate America?
Dec 11, '06
TomCat:
Bob, I don't think so at all. Rather, I think that the record of the GOP, especialliy in the infamous 109th, is so thoroughly impure that Jefferson would fit well into that pattern. When a Democrat is corrupt, I'll call it, and Jefferson should be forced to resign, just like those stalwarts of GOP purity Cunningham, DeLay and Foley.
Bob T:
That's nothing but partisan gloating, even if the Repubs of the 109th made themselves good targets.
But my point still remains: despite the scandals of the 109th (and any blending right into it), the Democrats are still not a squeaky clean party nor is the Republican Party "so thoroughly impure".
A crooked Democrat is not a Republican pretending to be a Democrat, but a typical politician.
The Orgonian ran a New York Times story on Nov 5 titled, "Democrats' scandals don't sting as much as GOP's", regarding how the Dems have been able to deflect attention, at least for the time being. Did you read it?
Bob Tiernan
Dec 12, '06
Bob, I don't read The Oregonian, as I consider it quite biased to the right. I get most of my news from the web, where I get a balanced view from both right, left, and international sources. Can we both agree with Mark Twain that the only truly criminal class native to America is Congress? I call corruption where I find it. On my own blog, I called Harry Reid on the milk issue, for example. Nevertheless, I maintain that there has not been, in the 40+ years in which I have been following politics, anything close to the level of institutionalized corruption as what has taken place, since the Republican Revolution. Were that not so, you might have won District 19.
Dec 12, '06
The Times Picayune wrote, "U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, neatly sidestepped a roiling federal corruption probe...."
Frank Carper (on this blog) wrote of Rep. Jefferson, "he overcame the investigation electorally."
Main Entry: over·come transitive verb 1 : to get the better of : SURMOUNT <overcome difficulties=""> 2 : OVERWHELM intransitive verb : to gain the superiority : WIN synonym see CONQUER
Frank: pop quiz, pick only one.
A. Did Rep. Jefferson SURMOUNT the investigation?
B. Did Rep. Jefferson OVERWHELM the investigation?
C. Did Rep. Jefferson WIN the investigation?
D. Did Rep. Jefferson CONQUER the investigation?
Here's a brief summary of the difference between intransitive or transitive verbs
9:41 a.m.
Dec 12, '06
Mr. Tee, I'm pretty sure what Frank Carper meant when he wrote "he overcame the investigation electorally", he was referring to the typical negative consequences associated with being caught red handed with (literally) cold cash.
That Jefforson Parish is willing to dismiss the indisputable facts of this case shows the degree to which blacks feel alienated from the rule of law in the South. And while I blame the voters for this travesty, I also can't help wondering if they have reason to feel alienated.
When OJ Simpson got away scott free with killing his wife, it wasn't long before we learned of the Rampart scandal, in which 28 police officers were found to be stealing dope from dealers and reselling it, framing people for crimes, racketeering, assault, and murder. I can't help but expect another shoe to drop in this case - unless Louisiana remains such a cesspool no cop will dare turn whistleblower.
Corrupt, racist, cops do more than simply harrass people of color. They allow travesties of justice into the courtroom. And into our elections too.
Dec 12, '06
E. "Mister Tee" continues to have problems comprehending the Times-Picayune lede or clear statements (noted above) that although Jefferson won releection, his legal woes are far from over.
Buddy. There was an election. Corruption charges=election hazard for Jefferson. Wins anyway. AND ONCE AGAIN, NO ONE IS ARGUING THAT THE ELECTORAL VICTORY MAKES HIS LEGAL TROUBLE GO AWAY.
It's frankly getting to be a pretty annoying red herring here, but again, feel free to let the award-winning Times-Picayune know your feelings. Visit NOLA.com and take your time coming back.
Dec 13, '06
Tom Cat:
Bob, I don't read The Oregonian
Bob T:
It was a New York Times article reprinted in the Big Zero. So there.
Bob T