Democrats want Rep. Jefferson out of post

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060608/ap_on_go_co/raid_on_congress

Democratic leaders worked to strip embattled Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) of his committee assignment on Thursday after the Louisiana lawmaker rebuffed repeated calls to step aside pending completion of a federal bribery investigation.

Jefferson, at the center of an increasingly complicated legal and political controversy with racial overtones, insisted he would not go quietly. "I can guarantee" he will not voluntarily step aside, said Melanie Roussell, his spokeswoman.

The congressman has not been indicted and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, with authority over taxes, Medicare, trade, Social Security and more.

Several officials said Jefferson had rebuffed a final appeal to step aside in a meeting with three fellow Democrats dispatched by party leaders. They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the delicate nature of the conversation.

Didn't they try to get him to switch a couple of years ago? I wouldn't be surprised if they had planned this, so he could get implicated and the repubs would have someone to go after on the Democratic side, when things started to crumble within their own party.

He looks so guilty from what I can see, but what is his side of the story?

By contrast, the GOP gave Tom DeLay the floor today and cried in their beer about his departure.

If enough of us demanded his resignation, he'd go.

He's a Democrat, so there is an automatic presumption of guilt.

Innocent until proven guilty only applies to Republicans.

Then he will be asked again.

This guy is very obviously guilty and I think every democrat should pressure him to step down. We are not Republicans. We do not look the other way when those on our side become corrupt. Worst case scenario: He steps down, is found to be innocent, then regains his positions with all the benefits that come with being seen a victim.

dominant that deffend their own....as DeLay with Rebugs were! Anyways, and that said, we are now heading into Nov. 2006, and we wouldn't want be distracted, do we? including Ms. Pelosi's thinking of clean slade of her becoming the next speaker of the House!

I totally disagree. Totally.

It applies to criminal courts.

In similar cases, courts have decided to restrict 1st ammendment rights to prevent the appearance of corruption (see campaign finance rulings).

This is a reasonable standard IMHO to remove congresspeople from committee assignments and positions of power until the situation is resolved.

...if that's what it takes.

He can't even be bothered to come up with a plausible lie to defend his actions. That looks guilty as all hell.

I say let him step down. If he's innocent, reinstate his committee positions. Otherwise answer the allegations and your constituents separate from party leadership positions.

look good for him, THROW THE BOOK AT HIM!
A criminal is a criminal, I don't care if he (or she) has a R or D beside their names.

:kick: