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FIRST TED STEVENS, NOW THIS …
Voters in Louisiana’s Second District sent their indicted nine-term congressman packing over the weekend. William Jefferson’s re-election bid was rejected by the two-thirds majority black district, which instead elected the first-ever Vietnamese-American to Congress.
The “New Orleans Times-Picayune” reports Anh “Joe” Cao’s narrow victory was aided by 12% turnout in heavily black parts of the district as well as strong support from white voters and Republican groups. The idea of voting for an alleged crook didn’t motivate people to head back to the polls for the second time in just over a month.
As for Jefferson, he’s awaiting trial on federal corruption and bribery charges. Legal experts say the loss will cost him much more than his congressional salary. Gone is his best bargaining chip with prosecutors, the ability to resign his office.
The congressman remains unable to explain how the freezer in his Washington home came into possession of 90-grand in marked hundred-dollar bills, which prosecutors say were bribes. I know, I know … some real cold hard cash … been said many times.
John Fleming appears to have held the state’s Fourth District for Republicans. He scored a 356-vote victory over Democrat Paul Carmouche. A recount may be in the cards since the margin of victory was just over a third of a percent.
The runoffs put the finishing touches on the 111th House. The Senate still needs some sort of resolution to Minnesota’s Coleman/Franken race. Elections officials still must judge the validity of thousands of ballots challenged by the two campaigns.
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