William Jefferson



William Jennings Jefferson had been a Democratic member of the U. S. House of Representatives  representing the 2nd District of Louisiana 1991-2008. The district includes much of the Greater New Orleans area. (map) He was defeated by Anh Cao in the general election on Dec. 6, 2008.

Iraq War
Jefferson voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 that started the Iraq War.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Blood diamonds ethics violation
Jefferson violated House ethics rules in failing to report three trips to Botswana aimed at convincing him to oppose limits on “blood diamond” imports into the U.S., according to ethics experts. The Botswana government charged Louis Garvas Nchindo, the former director of Debswana Diamond Co. Ltd., with illegally funding trips to Botswana, including the three Jefferson took. According to the Botswana government, Nchindo pretended the trips were sanctioned by the Botswanan government as official business when they were really private trips benefiting Jefferson’s and Nchindo’s business interests.

At the time of the trips, Congress was debating whether to impose trade restrictions on African diamonds to try to filter out imports of “blood diamonds.” In 2001, Jefferson signed on as an original co-sponsor to the “Clean Diamonds Act” introduced by then-Rep. Tony Hall (D-Ohio). Jefferson dropped his sponsorship of the bill right before he left on a trip sponsored by the Botswana Confederation of Commerce, Industry and Manpower in April 2001.

Hurricane Katrina
Jefferson's district, which includes most of New Orleans, was flooded and devastated by Hurricane Katrina on August 31, 2005. The Hill reported on the congressional response to the tragedy, "Democratic leaders appear to have taken the more cautious tack of leaving Jefferson on the sidelines in their effort to respond to the storm." This was largely to do with his ethical worries and the media criticism leveled at him for "diverting the Coast Guard from rescue missions to help him take several large bags out of his house."

Jefferson was criticized by ABC News for the apparent misuse of National Guard resources to check on his personal belongings and property at the height of the Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts. According to a military source, Jefferson delayed two heavy trucks, a helicopter and several National Guard members for over an hour while he went back into his house to retrieve "a laptop computer, three suitcases and a box about the size of a small refrigerator". 

Jefferson served on the House panel investigating government failures surrounding the construction of levees and the rescue and recovery operations during Hurricane Katrina. While the panel found massive federal government failures that could have lessen the damage of the disaster Jefferson and his Louisiana colleague Charlie Melancon stated that the report fell short by not calling for the removal of Michael Chertoff as head of Homeland Security: "Our judgment, based on a careful review of the record, is that the Department of Homeland Security needs new and more experienced leadership."

In 2007, Jefferson sponsored a bill to extend a federal development program for small businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina and its aftereffects in 2005. The program provides participating small businesses with business and technical support from organizations, particularly in applying for federal contracts. The program would be extended for eighteen months. The Small Business Administration estimated that 145 small businesses would accept the extension. On March 27, the bill passed the House by a voice vote.

Background
Jefferson was born March 14, 1947 in Lake Providence, Louisiana. His parents had never graduated high school and worked sometimes as sharecroppers. He was educated at Southern University and Harvard Law School. Before entering the House, he was a lawyer, a law clerk for District Judge Alvin B. Rubin, legislative assistant to Senator J. Bennett Johnston and a member of the Louisiana Senate. He twice unsucessfully ran for Mayor of New Orleans, first challenging Ernest N. Morial in 1982, and then being narrowly defeated by Sidney Barthelemy in a run off in 1985.

When long-time 2nd District Rep. Linda Boggs retired in 1990 Jefferson entered the Democratic primary along with State Senator Jon Johnson, Marc Morial, the son of the city's first black mayor, Dock Board member Dooky Chase, and Ted Koppel's cousin Woody Koppel.(AP, 9/18/90) Jefferson won 25% of the vote and Morial won 22% sending the two to a run-off to decide who would be the first black congressman elected in Louisiana since Reconstruction.

Jefferson was attacked by Morial for working as a lawyer for public agencies including Southern University's school board, the Orleans Parish School Board, and the Attorney General's office. Morial also alleged that Jefferson's law firm gained clients through Jefferson's political contacts. Morial was politically wounded when it was revealed that he had fathered a child out of wedlock to a woman in Ivory Coast. (Roll Call, 10/22/90) Despite the bitter contest Jefferson would later back Morial's 1994 mayoral candidacy.

Jefferson wound up winning the election with 52% of the vote. He was aided by receiving a larger portion of the white vote than his competitor and the endorsement of the mayor, Sidney Barthelemy.

Congressional Career
Jefferson quickly rose in the ranks of Democrats and won a seat on the influential Ways and Means Committee. He worked as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus to help black lawmakers gain more political clout on Capitol Hill.

In 1993 he came under fire for setting up a meeting between his former law firm and Resolution Trust Corp. Jefferson was in the middle of being bought out of his partnership but was still on the payroll on the law firm. While Jefferson was not found to have done anything wrong his critics alleged that his actions gave the appearance of a conflict of interest. They further stated that most lawmakers would recuse themselves from such a situation so as to avoid this negative appearance. (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 11/14/93)

Jefferson lobbied in Congress for an increase in the Community Development Block Grant to help rehabilitate low- and moderate-income homes. He was successful in gaining an 8 percent increase -- the grant increased to $20 million -- over the previous grant. Jefferson also worked to get $1.05 million in federal money for UNITY for the Homeless. (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 3/2/94)

Jefferson has been a strong advocate of free trade throughout his career. He voted for NAFTA, CAFTA, trade promotion authority, the African free-trade law, and the China bilateral free trade pact. He has taken a lot of heat from his party and from unions for his support of these free trade agreements. In 2003, when he sought to chair the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, opposition from unions and a desire for a Committee Chairman close to her helped to push Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to choose fellow California congressman Bob Matsui.

He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

In 1999, he was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Louisiana, but he lost to the incumbent, Republican Murphy J. Foster, Jr.. Voting fell largely along racial lines as Foster won 62%-30%.

2006 Elections
By August 13, 2006, the campaign filing deadline in Louisiana, twelve candidates had emerged to challenge Jefferson. The list included eight Democrats, three Republicans and one Libertarian. The candidates included state Sen. Derrick Shepherd (D), state Rep. Karen Carter (D), and former state representative and New Orleans City Council member Troy Carter (D).

Jefferson faced 12 opponents in Louisiana's open race in the 2006 elections. He led all vote getters, receiving approximately 30% of the vote. Because his total was less than 50%, however, Jefferson and Karen Carter, the second leading vote-getter, were forced to compete in a run-off election. He won the run-off 57% - 43%, capturing 79% of the precincts black vote. 

Money in politics
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Committees

 * House Committee on Small Business
 * Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare, and Trade

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Budget
 * House Committee on Ways and Means
 * Subcommittee on Trade

Contact
DC Office: 2113 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-6636 Fax: 202-225-1988 Web Email Website

District Office- Gretna: Jefferson Parish General Government Building, Suite 3200 200 Derbigny Street Gretna, LA 70053 Phone: 504-368-7019 Fax: 504-263-1285

District Office- New Orleans: 1012 Hale Boggs Federal Building 500 Poydras Street New Orleans, LA 70130 Phone: 504-589-2274 Fax: 504-589-4513

2005

 * Bill Walsh, "Jefferson raids may signal return of the sting," New Orleans Times-Picayune, August 21, 2005.
 * Jake Tapper, "Amid Katrina Woes, Congressman Used National Guard to Visit Home," ABC News, September 13, 2005.

2006

 * Ana Radelat, "Former congressional aide pleads guilty to bribery," Gannett News Service, January 11, 2006.
 * Shailagh Murray and Allan Lengel, "The Legal Woes of Bill Jefferson," Washington Post February 16, 2006.
 * Bruce Alpert, "Law Firms Records Sought by Feds," New Orleans Times-Picayune, March 23, 2006.
 * Mary Ann Akers, "For Sale, Foreshadowing?," Roll Call, March 30, 2006. (Subscription required.)
 * "Six Hill Aides Subpoenaed in Jefferson Investigation," Associated Press, March 31, 2006.
 * Paul Kiel, "New Docs Show Details of Prosecutors' Case against Jefferson," TPM Muckraker, May 8, 2006.
 * Allan Lengel, "Businessman Pleads Guilty To Bribing Rep. Jefferson," Washington Post, May 4, 2006.
 * Ralph Vartabedian, "Executive Pleads Guilty to Bribing Congressman's Family," Los Angeles Times, May 4, 2006.
 * Bill Walsh and Bruce Alpert, "Jefferson's support begins to unravel," New Orleans Times-Picayune, May 5, 2006.
 * Allan Lengel, "Va. Woman Wore a Wire In Rep. Jefferson Inquiry," Washington Post, May 9, 2006.
 * Ken Silverstein, "Rep. William Jefferson: One More Reason for the High Price of Gas," Harpers.org, May 10, 2006.
 * John Bresnahan, "FBI Raid Angers Some on Hill; Feds Probe Additional Jefferson ‘Schemes’," Roll Call, May 21, 2006.
 * Allan Lengel, "FBI Says Jefferson Was Filmed Taking Cash," Washington Post, May 22, 2006.
 * "Congressional Leaders Challenge FBI Raid on U.S. House Office," Bloomberg News, May 23, 2006.
 * Dana Milbank, "So $90,000 Was in the Freezer. What's Wrong With That?," Washington Post, May 23, 2006.
 * Bruce Alpert, "Jefferson calls FBI raid 'outrageous'," New Orleans Times-Picayune, May 23, 2006.
 * Dan Eggen and Allan Lengel, "Officials Defend Raid on Lawmaker's Office," Washington Post, May 24, 2006.
 * Maura Reynolds, "Concern About Search by FBI Is Bipartisan," Los Angeles Times, May 24, 2006.
 * Laurie Kellman, AP "House leaders demand FBI return papers," Associated Press, May 24, 2006.
 * Paul Kiel, "Pelosi to Jefferson: Resign from Committee," TPM Muckraker, May 24, 2006.
 * "House leaders demand FBI return papers," Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), May 25, 2006.
 * Laurie Kellman, "Bush Orders FBI-Congress Documents Sealed," Washington Post, May 26, 2006.
 * Bruce Alpert, "Files seized in raid of Jefferson's office sealed. President Bush orders 45-day hold to negotiate a solution," New Orleans Times-Picayune, May 26, 2006.
 * Jeanne Cummings and Brody Mullins, "Lawmaker Raid May Come Back to Bite Bush. Anger in Congress Could Cost The President Some Allies And Curb His Legislative Influence," Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2006.
 * Editorial: "G-Men vs. members of the House. A Louisiana legislator isn't constitutionally protected from a criminal investigation," Los Angeles Times, May 26, 2006.
 * Lolis Eric Elie, "Jefferson can find hope in past case," New Orleans Times-Picayune, May 26, 2006.
 * Dan Eggen and Jim VandeHei, "Bush Seals Files Seized In FBI Probe Of Jefferson," Washingon Post, May 26, 2006.
 * Matthew Barakat, "Former Jefferson aide sentenced to 8 years for bribery role," Associated Press, May 26, 2006.
 * Allan Lengel and Charles Babington, "Congressman Tried to Hide Papers, Justice Dept. Says," Washington Post, May 31, 2006.
 * Ann M. Simmons and Faye Fiore, "Poverty Marked 'Dollar Bill'," Los Angeles Times, June 2, 2006.
 * Allan Lengel and Jonathan Weisman, "For Deals, Jefferson Built Web Of Firms," Washington Post, June 5, 2006.
 * Bruce Albert, "Democrats recommend Jefferson lose committee seat," The Times-Picayune, June 8, 2006.
 * Hazel Trice Edney, "Some CBC Members Secretly Trying to Oust Jefferson from Committee Post," Milwaukee Courier and Southeastern Star, June 13, 2006.
 * Andrea Koppel, "Rep. Jefferson loses Democratic caucus vote. Black Caucus leader cites racial unfairness," CNN, June 16, 2006.
 * David Espo, "House Dems Strip Jefferson of Panel Seat," Houston Chronicle, June 16, 2006.
 * John Bresnahan, "Justice Dept. Subpoenas Jefferson’s E-mails," Roll Call, July 3, 2006.
 * Bruce Alpert, "Jefferson hires crisis-seasoned PR aide," The Times-Picayune, July 7, 2006.
 * Toni Loci, "Judge: FBI raid on lawmaker's office legal," Associated Press, July 10, 2006.
 * "Judge Allows Jefferson Probe to Continue," Washington Post, July 19, 2006.
 * Jim VandeHei, "Corruption Issue Comes to Fore. Reed Is Seen as First Casualty, and Parties Brace for More," Washington Post, July 20, 2006.
 * Philip Shenon, "Nigerian Official Denies Congressman Bribed Him," New York Times, July 20, 2006.
 * John Bresnahan, "Court Delays DOJ’s Review of Jefferson Material," Roll Call, July 26, 2006.
 * Richard B. Schmitt, "Jefferson May Review Papers Seized in Raid," Los Angeles Times, July 29, 2006.
 * Allan Lengel, "12 File to Oppose Rep. Jefferson," Washington Post, August 14, 2006.
 * Bruce Alpert, "Jefferson case informant files complaint with police," The Times-Picayune, August 29, 2006.
 * Bill Walsh, "7-year sentence likely to be reduced," Times Picayune, September 9, 2006.
 * John Bresnahan, “Ex-Leaders To Oppose FBI Raid,” Roll Call, September 13, 2006.
 * "CREW releases second annual most corrupt members of Congress report," Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, September 20, 2006.
 * Peter Whoriskey, "Jefferson Win Poses Dilemma for Party," Washington Post, December 11, 2006.

2007

 * John Bresnahan, "Pelosi Won't Take Legal Action Over Raid," The Politico, March 7, 2007.
 * "CREW releases 'Beyond DeLay: The 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and two to watch)'," Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, September 18, 2007.
 * Walter Alarkon, "‘What a shame, what a shame,’ Jefferson says at hearing," The Hill, December 20, 2007.

Resources

 * Official website
 * Technorati Search: William Jefferson
 * Google News Search: William Jefferson
 * Yahoo! News Search: William Jefferson
 * Power Trips: How much did William Jefferson travel?
 * GovTrack Statistics: William Jefferson
 * FBI Affidavit Against Jefferson

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Your Right Hand Thief: Laughing off hard truths in New Orleans
 * American Zombie