You just know that someone will chuckle over the phrase 'cold cash' in relation to a pile of money discovered in a freezer. Congressman William Jefferson has been caught on tape accepting bribes from an FBI undercover operative, and the very money that was handed over to the congressman turned up in his home, on ice as it were.
Cold cash indeed. How nice to see that corruption is an equal opportunity employer. No discrimination based on race or politics, the representative from Louisiana is just as tainted as Mr. Cunningham, recently indicted on bribery charges. Those who believe that Congress is for sale cross party lines.
But wait, sweet William claims that he is innocent. Or at least nothing more than the victim of a prosecutor who is out to humiliate him. Tough to claim you've done nothing when the FBI has you on tape, accepting money. And then when the FBI finds the same money in your freezer, well, there you are. Given time, he may well come up with some other reasonable excuse, but for now, his attorney is blathering away while madly attempting to sweep all the dirt under the rug.
The funny thing is, Mr. Jefferson assured the informant that he had passed the cash along to a Nigerian government official, who was then going to grease the skids for the bribe giver. Can the congressman claim that he was not bribed because he did not give the money to its intended target? He kept it for himself, and apparently spent $10,000 between the time he received the 'donation' and the FBI's raid on his freezer.
Perhaps Mr. Jefferson can claim ignorance. He sure is looking mighty stupid right now.
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