Working Life

The case of Rep.William Jefferson, one of the CAFTA 15, gets even more sticky.Yesterday, the Democratic caucus voted to strip Jefferson of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee because of the bribery allegations that loom over him. In explaining her position, Nancy Pelosi takes the position I’ve taken here–everyone is innocent until proven […]

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As Rep. William Jefferson, one of the CAFTA 15, continues to wrap himself in the constitutional fight over whether the F.B.I. improperly raided his offices, more details emerge about the way he conducted business. The Washington Post had a front-page story today detailing how Jefferson built a web of all-in-the-family firms to funnel money for […]

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[A note: last two days were no-post days…sorry…various hiccups…not that you were asking!] It strikes me that it does not help Rep. William Jefferson, one of the CAFTA 15, to continue to be in the news, even if it is ultimately the case that the F.B.I. raid on his Congressional office was an unjust encroachment […]

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I’m not obsessed with Rep. William Jefferson but this story just keeps growing. First, the Democrats and Republicans united to demand that the F.B.I. return the documents seized in the raid on Jefferson’s office. At the same time, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi demanded that Jefferson resign his seat on the Ways and Means Committee–and […]

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Hmmm…this controversy about the FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson’s office has now kept going for a third day. Thought it’s an interesting debate, this can’t be what the Democrats want–a focus on a raid on a Democrat who may be guilty of bribery. As I have said for many weeks, the Democrats are not […]

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Learn something new every day. As a commenter pointed out in yesterday’s post on the raid on Rep. William Jefferson’s office, one of the CAFTA 15, there is an issue of separation of powers here. In other words, the F.B.I., a part of the executive branch (The Justice Department), makes people of both parties nervous […]

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I’m the first to strongly believe that people are innocent until proven guilty and, certainly, the F.B.I. has been known to accuse people of wrongdoing and/or spy on people over the years who actually did no wrong. BUT…the case against one of the CAFTA 15, Rep. William Jefferson, is certainly picking up speed. The New […]

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Melissa Bean, one of our CAFTA 15, held a fundraiser the other night. Some committed souls were on hand to greet her in the appropriate fashion. The picture says it all–that’s Melissa, drink in hand, chatting up some fatcat donor. Kudos to the person who managed to sneak the sign inside–and I most appreciate the […]

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Here’s a fun little political game. Rep. Melissa Bean, one of the so-called Democrats who voted for CAFTA, is a key target for those who want the CAFTA 15 to pay a political price. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has a PAC which she uses to help members of Congress in their re-election campaigns. She decides […]

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Rep. William Jefferson, one of the CAFTA 15, just moved one step closer to indictment on corruption charges. Yes, he is innocent until proven guilty but both The New York Times and The Washington Post carry stories today that can’t make his day feel good, though the Post story is much more explicit about Jefferson’s […]

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