Hat Tip: By Cain Burdeau, Associated Press
The group, including ministers and the president of the local chapter of the NAACP, alleged the 16-count corruption indictment was the work of a Republican White House and Justice Department scheming to target black Democratic leaders and shift attention from legal troubles of Republican congressmen.
“When it’s all over, Bill Jefferson will stand up like Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. He will stand up in the South and he will be victorious,” said the Rev. Samson “Skip” Alexander.
The news conference attended by about 50 people was a sign Jefferson hasn’t lost friends in New Orleans, which re-elected him to a ninth term from Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District in December 2006 despite an FBI probe of his African business dealings.
Prosecutors say Jefferson used his influence as co-chairman of the congressional Africa Investment and Trade Caucus to broker deals in numerous African nations, and that he demanded kickbacks for himself and for family members. He is also charged with bribing a Nigerian official.
He allegedly received more than $500,000 in bribes and demanded millions more between 2000 and 2005. He has pleaded not guilty.
The group said they would raise money for his legal defense and offer public relations help through the Justice for Jefferson Committee.
Tracie Washington, a civil rights lawyer, asked the audience to give Jefferson the benefit of the doubt.
Danatus King, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, said, “it’s important that all of us keep our eyes on the prize and that prize is one word, and that one word is justice.”
Asked to comment on allegations aired at the news conference, Bryan Sierra, a Justice Department spokesman, said “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.” White House spokesman Blair Jones also declined to comment.
Not everyone in attendance at Wednesday’s news conference expressed undivided loyalty to Jefferson.
Sitawi Jahi, a 54-year-old youth development program director, said he came “to gather facts.” But he said his confidence in Jefferson was strained by some of the evidence, in particular an allegation the FBI found $90,000 in bribe money in the congressman’s freezer.
“That’s hard to explain,” he said.
Jefferson’s legal defense fund, set up about 18 months ago, has about $140,000, according to Walter Wilkerson, the lawyer handling the fund.
I wish these Negroes would stop drinking from the bitter chalice of Dollar Bill’s B.S. Ain’t a damn thing in the Ninth Ward been re-built and they are defending this Nigra?
Repeat after me:
There are some Black folk not worth defending.
Dollar Bill is one of them.
Negroes – let.it.go.
rikyrah,
These people are not crackheads or crazy homeless folk, so please explain to me why they are defending him and his “honorable explanation” about his bribe money in the freezer. Is it somethin’ in the water or are these Negroes just in their own universe? I am completely dumbfounded and astounded, Girl. Completely.
Too much Kool-Aid. Is it grape flavored?
Classic case of MBS at work here: Marion Barry Syndrome. Yes, it seems some folks need to save their energy to defend people who actually deserve defending.
I’m going to go outside and snap a few photos for you.
You’ll need them for your future post: “Delusional Negroes in Prince George’s Save Al Wynn”
LOL.
Denise!
Did you catch Al Wynn on the bus to Silver Spring on Mon?
That’s right. For his MoCo kickoff, he decided to take Metro bus from Shady Grove. He’s getting off the J2 from Bethesda in the pic.
LMBAO!!
With all due respect, “C.R.E.A.M. Jefferson”, is pimpin’ the “CHAICH” (ebonics for “church”) folk:
“You know how dem white folk’ll do ya, bibbay. Dey had somebody come in and plant that money in da freezer cuz he was getting too high powered…”
SB,
You are too good! I just read this on a news website and eagerly “ran” to your blog b/c I knew you wouldn’t let this pass without comment. This is simply unbelievable! This is just another example of why we have to take back control of our image and messaging from once venerable civil rights organizations that seem to be suffering from some form of socio-political dementia. I try not to concern myself too much with White folks think, but this is embarrassing!
This support is coming from a group which is shutting down full-fledged chapters of the NAACP in areas of this country where their presence is badly needed.
Whatever civil rights capital they had, they just spent it on Dollar Bill and they should be at the gate of the prison he’s going to be sent to, unless he cuts a deal and drop dime on other Congress Critters.
Sometimes, you DO get good news:
Judge orders Libby Jailed During Appeal
Don’t drop the soap, Scooter
BWA HA HA HA HA HA AH HA
And, did you see that Scooter’s good ‘ law abiding, Christian’ supporters, SENT THREATS TO THE JUDGE?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/12/cia.leak.trial.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
Man, everybody’s going to jail these days!
To compare “Dollar” Bill to Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver is an insult to our ancestors. Someone needs to tell the negro that said that to sit down!
Upper-income Black donors back Obama over Clinton
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-06-13-obama-clinton_N.htm