Congressman indicted in bribery investigation

WASHINGTON - Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., was indicted Monday on federal charges of racketeering, money-laundering and soliciting more than $400,000 in bribes in connection with years of trying to broker business deals in Africa.

The charges came almost two years after investigators raided Jefferson's home in Washington and found $90,000 in cash stuffed in a box in his freezer.

The indictment in federal court in Alexandria, Va., lists 16 alleged violations with prison terms totaling as much as 235 years. Jefferson is charged with racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

Historic indictment
He is the first sitting congressman to face charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits corporate bribery overseas. Jefferson is to be arraigned Friday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes from 11 different companies for himself and his family, and also of bribing a Nigerian official. The scheme was complicated and Jefferson set up a front company to hide the money, prosecutors said.

"But the essence of the charges are really very simple: Mr. Jefferson corruptly traded on his good office and on the Congress," said Chuck Rosenberg, the U.S. attorney for eastern Virginia.

The 60-year-old Jefferson, whose Louisiana district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case publicly but has maintained his innocence. He was re-elected last year despite the investigation.

Joseph Persichini, who leads FBI's Washington field office, called on the public to "take the time, read this charging document line by line, scheme by scheme, count by count. This case is about greed, power and arrogance."

Attorney declares Jefferson’s innocence
"Congressman Jefferson is innocent, and he plans to fight this indictment and clear his name," his attorney Robert Trout said at a news conference in Los Angeles.

Trout said the Department of Justice, "secretly taped him and tried to trap him in a government sting."

"They clearly conducted a sting operation. They clearly were intent on trying to develop a case against the congressman," said Trout.

Trout said the FBI got excited about trying to bring down a congressman. "When certain facts came to the attention of the FBI, they decided that it was an opportunity of their part to bring down a congressman. They get excited about that. In this particular case, they picked the wrong congressman, and they picked the wrong facts."

Trout added: "When the facts are known, he will be vindicated."

Congressional reaction
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to push this week for Jefferson to be stripped of his seat on the Small Business Committee, according to a leadership aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not yet been announced.

"If these charges are proven true, they constitute an egregious and unacceptable abuse of public trust and power," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "Democrats are committed to upholding a high ethical standard and eliminating corruption and unethical behavior from the Congress."

Make predictions on news events Rep. William Jefferson will not resign until and unless he is convicted

House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio said Jefferson should be expelled from Congress if he is found guilty and refuses to resign.

"The American people rightfully expect the highest ethical standards from their elected leaders," Boehner said.

Guilty pleas
Two of Jefferson's associates have struck plea bargains with prosecutors and have been sentenced.

Brett Pfeffer, a former congressional aide, admitted soliciting bribes on Jefferson's behalf and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

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