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Jefferson Sentenced To 13 Years For Corruption
Zachary Roth | November 13, 2009, 6:08PM
Fmr. Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)
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Former Louisiana congressman William Jefferson was sentenced this afternoon to 13 years in federal prison for his conviction on public corruption charges.
Prosecutors had asked for up to 33 years. Jefferson's lawyers argued for less than 10.
U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III said Jefferson's conduct was "a cancer on the body politic."
Jefferson, a Democrat, was convicted on 11 counts related to a scheme in which he used influence to win contracts for businesses in Africa, while accepting millions of dollars in payments and stock to family-owned businesses. During a raid, the FBI famously found $90,000 in his freezer.
You can see a slideshow of the freezer-cash episode here.
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lousgirl84
November 13, 2009 6:15 PM
Wow, that is a long sentence for $90,000 in a refrigerator. Black folks don't get justice in America.
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libdevil
November 13, 2009 6:52 PM in reply to lousgirl84
Especially considering that Ted Stevens is a free man thanks to the government bungling his case. Unfortunately real justice would involve more corrupt Republican in jail, not fewer William Jeffersons.
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cwnidog
November 13, 2009 7:48 PM in reply to libdevil
True enough. I don't care what letter comes after your name, if you betray a public trust, you need a long time-out at a ClubFed.
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ShawninMo
November 13, 2009 8:06 PM in reply to lousgirl84
Sounds like justice was served.
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soupson52
November 13, 2009 7:39 PM
And some men murder others by declaring illegal wars and go on speaking tours.
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lousgirl84
November 13, 2009 7:41 PM
I'm just sayin......
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condew
November 13, 2009 10:06 PM
When the Republicans were sprouting a new scandal every other week, and it was clear to any fair observer that their brief time in power had lead them to enormous levels of corruption; The main stream media could always point to William Jefferson's freezer cash and say "They both do it.". For that reason alone, I am glad to see William Jefferson get 13 years, and I wish it had been 33.
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dweb823
November 13, 2009 11:17 PM
Yes, it was clear Jefferson was guilty, and yes there was a lot of cash in his freezer and yes he lied about it.
But in terms of comparison, it seems clear that if his skin were a tad paler, he would probably have gotten 7-9.
Jack Abramoff swindled millions of dollars from Indian tribes alone.....four years after he "cooperated" with authorities.
Andrew Fastow, former Chief Financial officer for Enron, guilty of massive wire and securities fraud involving millions....six years....had faced 10 years.
At that rate, 90,000 in a freezer seems like pretty small change for a 13-year sentence.
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Beagle
November 14, 2009 1:19 AM
The difference between you and the others is that you got caught.
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Tanjaoui
November 14, 2009 12:00 PM
Fair and well. But I don't need to remind anyone here (I hope) that laws are often written to facilitate injustice. Look at our tax code, and the corporate welfare it perpetrates. Perfectly legal. And hideously unjust.
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par4
November 14, 2009 5:20 PM
'Duke' Cunningham got 8 yrs. for the largest corruption case ever,millions involved(IIRC) and this guy gets 13? WTF?
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East Coast Aussie
November 14, 2009 6:39 PM
So what the hell did Bernie Madoff get?
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Cosimo_rondo
November 14, 2009 10:34 PM
Yes! Now that's how justice is supposed to work. Now let's see if he can parley his betrayal of the American people into a lucrative media gig, or is that a uniquely Republican talent?
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inokeah
November 14, 2009 10:52 PM
Are you ready for the Obama Lexicon?
Yo Yo Yo, Here is a SHOUT OUT to brother Willi Jefferson. He will do this standing on his head and come back and get his job back, he is a good Democrat and that is the way it is. This is how you act with no philisophical grounding.
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Tim Fuller
November 15, 2009 4:18 AM
Now that he's taken care of, maybe the focus will finally shift to the torturers and war promoters? Condi is Black. Maybe she could take the fall for her home team?
Enjoy.
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Desidero
November 16, 2009 1:53 AM
And Martha Stewart got her punishment for $40K insider trading, while the guys who brought down Bear Stearns & Lehman Brothers got nothing. Except profits. But arrest a (non-conservative) TV chef and you've made a statement, problem gone.
That "cooperation" bit on Abramoff was completely bogus - he didn't cooperate at all, but they gave him an easy sentence.
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