CNN: Jefferson appointment to House Homeland Security Committee in doubt

[DeepModem Mom]

Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Jefferson appointment in doubt

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Just one week after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, encouraged her caucus to support the appointment of Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson to the House Homeland Security Committee and Democrats voted to give Jefferson a seat on the panel, his appointment is now up in the air.

Voting on committee appointments on the House floor is usually a perfunctory step -- something done by unanimous consent, rather than a roll call vote. But last week after Republican leaders said they intended to try to block Jefferson's appointment because they didn't think someone under FBI investigation should have access to classified intelligence, what should have been a routine next step, came to a screeching halt.

Democratic leaders Tuesday refused to say when the appointment will get an up or down vote.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-South Carolina, told CNN he just counts votes and that it's up to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, to make decisions on when votes come to the floor. But Hoyer told reporters it was up to House Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, D-Illinois, to move the ball forward.

Emanuel declined to answer whether or not the Jefferson appointment was in real trouble....

Hoyer had earlier suggested to CNN that the reason for the uncertainty had to do with the fact some Democrats are uncomfortable going on the record in support of Jefferson who is under investigation by the FBI for alleged bribery charges. And even though Republicans readily admit they don't have the votes to block the appointment outright, by insisting on a roll call vote they hope to encourage more Democratic defections....

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/03/jefferson-appointment-in-doubt.html

[Parisle]

1. Screw Jefferson

--- Democrats have to be "squeaky clean." Jefferson's only "claim" to the committee post is by means of intra-party succession,..... which doesn't mean a goddamned thing to the American public. The absolute LAST thing this country needs is democrats worrying about other democrats for purely party purposes. Isn't that the reason the republicans suck out loud? If Jefferson turns out to be guilty, I'd have him shot.

[SharonAnn]

2. In this, I think the GOP is right. And it needs to be done. Jefferson needs to step aside while

this investigation is still open.

I'm afraid we cannot afford to have someone like him in that position. I mean "we" in the sens of "we, the American people".

[w4rma]

3. I think we can stand to pass on him. Just put another Dem on the committee in his place. (nt)

[babylonsister]

4. If he's guilty, convict him already. What's the hold-up? nt

[napi21]

6. The law works very slowly. You should realize that especially today.

Look how long it took for the Libby mess to finally conclude, and we're not even done with sentencing yet!

[babylonsister]

7. No, I mean it. What Is The Hold-up? Is there an ongoing investigation?

Does anyone know? I have heard absolutely nothing since the original story hit the press. Could they not be convicting him because the money might have been planted? Is the wait all about going into congressional offices? What is up?

[Parisle]

8. "Planted?"

--- Any slowness in the investigation is more likely due to the potentially criminal implications to the company that furnished all that "cold" cash.

[napi21]

9. All I know is that the FBI is investigating. They were the ones who caught him accepting $$

in some kind of a covert or sting operation. I can only assume the FBI is still working on it. If this were just a case before the Congressional Ethics Committee, I can see your gripe, but it's not.

[babylonsister]

10. "They caught him accepting money". Why isn't he in jail?

I really am baffled if he's as guilty as everyone thinks he is. For pete's sake, he won an election in the interim.

[napi21]

11. Oh, well, it's not like local voters have never re-elected a

criminal to congress before huh? Remember thet goofy guy from Ohio with thereally stupid grey wig? He was re-elected too, but then carted off to prison, and is still there! Sorry I can still see his image but I don't remember his name. Hell, HE wanted to run for another term, and do it while he was incarcerated!

[babylonsister]

12. Traficant? And wasn't that a rug?

Or maybe it was a wig! :rofl:

[napi21]

13. Call it what you want, he did bring humor to Congress!

I doo thinghe belongs in prison, but I kinda liked him. I guess the voters of La. feel they like their Representative too.

[napi21]

5. I think they should suspend any committee appointments for

Jefferson until the investigation is complete. I don't like the fact that Jefferson won't even give ANY excuse for keeping $90,000 in his freezer. I'd even be opento at least listeningto a dumb excuse, but he's given NONE!

At the very least, ALL Dems should have learned that keeping quiet and notgiving ANY explaination does nothing but create suspicion of wrongdoing.