Congressman Jefferson's Motion Denied

It appears that indicted Louisiana Congressman William (Cold Cash) Jefferson is trying to avoid the inevitable: Standing Trial For Bribery & Corruption Schemes


Yesterday a federal judge rejected his attempt to have his trial moved out of northern Virginia. It appears that the Congressman believes that he stands a better chance of being exonerated if his trial was moved to the District of Columbia in order to draw a largely black jury pool.

As I have said before, Congressman Jefferson erroneously believe that somehow blacks will not listen to the evidence and find him not guilty based on race alone.

Let's get on with the trial, Congressman Jefferson, and stop trying to play a badly dealt race card.

The State of Louisiana has spoken: Just Say No To Corruption

Sister of Mannie Fresh found murdered in New Orleans' Home

Mannie Fresh's sister, Angela Bryant, was shot and killed Wednesday night in her New Orleans home, according to local TV affiliate WWLTV. Police reportedly said the 42-year-old mother's two young children were present but not physically harmed.

Authorities said Bryant, whose body was discovered early Thursday morning, was murdered between 10 p.m. and midnight, according to WWLTV. Her black 1998 Lexus LS 400 reportedly went missing after the murder.

Bryant's husband, who had been out of town when his wife was killed, arrived at the house before noon and was distraught, according to the WWLTV report. The couple got married last month, and Bryant celebrated her birthday with family on Wednesday night, WWLTV said. Police reportedly did not elaborate on the conditions of the children, ages 2 and 7, but said they were safe and healthy.

Mannie Fresh (real name: Byron O. Thomas) — a legendary producer who claims T.I.'s "Big Things Poppin' " as his latest hit — was reportedly on his way back to his native New Orleans from Texas.

What Is the Army Corps of Engineers trying to hide?

I read a troubling editorial, in the Times Picayune, today regarding allegations against the Army Corps of Engineers. According to the article:

Raymond Seed, a civil engineering professor at University of California-Berkeley, has filed an ethics complaint with the engineering society saying that its leaders and the corps tried to prevent independent teams such as his from gathering critical evidence at the levee failure sites and from speaking out about their findings.

Mr. Seed went on to say that:

1. The corps used its leverage with the group to try to silence differing views.

2. At the corps' request, the engineering trade group appointed an external review panel to provide expert advice to corps investigators who served on the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force, known as IPET. The corps paid the group $2 million for that work, a payment Mr. Seed contends is a conflict of interest.

3. The corps reneged on a promise to give his team access to soil samples at the 17th Street Canal and then tried to prevent his team from collecting its own samples. The corps only gave in after another independent research group, Team Louisiana, got the help of Louisiana's attorney general.

4. ASCE officials tried to keep their own review team members, as well as Mr. Seed's group and Team Louisiana, from testifying about their initial findings before Congress.

What is the Army Corp of engineers trying to hide? What role did they play in the levees' failure? We should all take Mr. Seed's complaints seriously and not remain quiet on this issue.

New Orleans' Inspector General Gets Needed Funds

This is the best news to come out of New Orleans:

Calling it a historic moment for New Orleans, City Council members on Tuesday offered effusive and unanimous support for Inspector General Robert Cerasoli $3.2 million budget request to launch his office next year.

The sum, which is up for council approval when it votes Friday on the entire budget, amounts to more than double what Mayor Ray Nagin had recommended in his 2008 spending plan for the newly established anti-corruption agency. It includes $300,000 to finance the city's Ethics Review Board, which the mayor's budget excluded.

New Orleans' citizens are tired of the corruption and graft in the Big Easy and we welcome this change. This is a positive step toward making New Orleans a great place to live.

Mayor Ray Nagin Doesn't Practice What He Preaches

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has not cast a vote in three citywide elections. Mayor Nagin has also made the following statements concerning those who don't vote:


"It was kind of offensive to me, because here I am bustin' my butt every day and all I'm asking citizens to do is to plug into the democratic process."

"Take 20 minutes of your time and decide."

"Don't just let this thing happen without you voicing your opinion."

While noting that the apathy appeared to cut across all social, racial and economic lines, Nagin reminded African-Americans in particular of the struggles their forebears endured for the franchise.

"People were bit by dogs and, you know, fire hoses and all that," he said. "So everybody, please go out and vote."


This is very interesting. Please do not follow the Mayor's example.

Top Leaders To Attend Levee Summit

Dozens of local, state and congressional decision-makers will gather with regional levee district leaders today to strategize on how to tackle major obstacles to planned hurricane protection system improvements.

Levee officials have said a key challenge to a higher level of hurricane protection by the 2011 deadline is the match -- an estimated $1 billion or more -- that Congress and the Bush administration are requiring of the state and levee districts.

Other issues involve private property rights and public safety, including how to get all the land needed to build expanded levees and flood walls and where to find the 145 million cubic yards of clay that the Army Corps of Engineers estimates are needed to do the work.

Corruption Cases In The New Orleans' Area

From the Associated Press Via KatC-News


Defendants and details of recent high-profile corruption cases in the New Orleans area:

STAN BARRE, a businessman, and KERRY DeCAY, former director of property management for the city of New Orleans.

_ Each pleaded guilty in January 2007 to conspiracy to commit mail fraud against the city and Johnson Controls Inc., a company dealing in energy efficiency and climate control. Barre has been cooperating with federal investigators.

_ Federal prosecutors called this a kickback and fraudulent billing scheme tied to a contract meant to reduce city expenses. The pleas were among several in a years-long investigation of corruption under former Mayor Marc Morial's administration. Morial hasn't been accused of wrongdoing. Update: Kerry Decay received a 9 year prison term. Barre is awaiting sentence.

ELLENESE BROOKS-SIMMS, former New Orleans school board member.

_ Pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit federal program fraud.

_ Accused of conspiring with a local businessman from 2001-2004 to buy a software program for the public school system and accepting about $140,000 in bribes for promoting the software. The federal charge did not identify the businessman. At least 29 people have been charged, and 23 guilty pleas entered, in this years-long federal probe of the Orleans Parish school system, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

JOSEPH IMPASTATO, former St. Tammany Parish councilman.

_ Pleaded not guilty in May to charges including making false statements on federal tax returns and extortion and money laundering in a hurricane debris-removal contract. His trial has not yet taken place.

WILLIAM JEFFERSON, U.S. congressman, New Orleans.

_ Pleaded not guilty in June in U.S. District Court in Virginia to a 16-count indictment alleging he solicited bribes from companies while using his influence to broker business deals in Africa. Jefferson's attorneys have sought to have bribery charges dismissed.

MARK SMITH, former director of the state film commission

_ Pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy and bribery.

_ Accused of taking $65,000 in bribes for approving inflated movie budgets that allowed a film company to get state tax credits from 2003-2005.

OLIVER THOMAS, former New Orleans City Council president.

_ Pleaded guilty in August to bribery of a public official

_ Accused of taking $15,000 in bribes in 2002 from Barre, who wanted to keep a parking lot contract he held under the Morial administration. Once seen as a potential mayoral candidate, Thomas resigned his council seat in August.
Update: Thomas sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.

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