I'm not, I predicted it (unfortunately, not here on the blog :-). I knew he would be re-elected because these types of ethics charges don't bother Democrats (I'm from NJ, I know):
Rep. William J. Jefferson may be a pariah in some Washington political circles, but voters in this storm-battered city weighed in over the weekend with their own verdict regarding their scandal-plagued congressman: He's still our guy.And you may ask why would they re-elect a guy caught on tape taking a bribe? Well, here's your answer:
Voters gave the Louisiana Democrat an emphatic reelection victory over state Rep. Karen Carter, even though his campaign had been weighted with revelations that federal authorities had videotaped him taking $100,000 in alleged bribe money, and that $90,000 of it had been found inside a freezer in his apartment in the District. The investigation led House colleagues to dump him from a key committee, donors abandoned him and the state Democratic Party switched its allegiance to his opponent.
For some of Jefferson's core black constituency, "they've heard the news" about the allegations. "They just don't believe it," Brox said.And then there's this:
[...]
But after Sunday services at the First Pilgrim Baptist Church in the Bywater neighborhood, a group of three friends, all African American, concurred in their support for Jefferson and dismissed the allegations as unproved. Though two of Jefferson's associates -- a business partner and a former staff member -- have pleaded guilty in the bribery scheme, they cautioned against a rush to judgment.
"I just kind of felt if they had something on him, why haven't they indicted him?" said Tyra Bryant, 34, of Jefferson Parish. "I'm not even sure it's really true."
"He hasn't done anything the rest of the folks up in Washington haven't done -- he just got caught,"[this from a person leaving church???] said Sharon Williams of Mid-City.
Moreover, although Jefferson lost some key Democratic endorsements, he did pick up those of two others who are particularly influential in the black community: New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin and Bishop Paul Morton, often named as the city's most influential black minister. Jefferson appears to have won votes by attacking Carter for supporting same-sex marriage.And from the loser:
"I guess the people are happy with the status quo," she said.Yep, they are. And what do we learn from all this? That Democrats don't care if their politicians are corrupt. Good luck, Nancy Pelosi, trying to sell the notion that your reign of Congress will be ethical with the bunch of politicians you've got.
(via)
Tags:
