Jefferson sure he’ll survive primary

• By ALLEN M. JOHNSON JR.
• New Orleans bureau
• Published: Aug 25, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — Indicted U.S. Rep. William “Bill” Jefferson has a one-word response to critics and political rivals who suggest he may not survive the Sept. 6 Democratic Party primary.

“Foolishness,” said Jefferson, 61, a nine-term incumbent and the first black congressman elected in Louisiana since Reconstruction.
The 2nd Congressional District — safely Democratic since 1891 — includes nearly all of New Orleans, the West Bank portion of Jefferson Parish and south Kenner.

Leaving a candidate forum hosted by the community activist group ACORN in Mid-City, the incumbent recalled his 2006 re-election campaign.

He faced 12 opponents then, led by state Sen. Karen Carter, a fellow Democrat.

“Remember all those polls that said Karen Carter was winning by 20 percent?” Jefferson said, then pretended to mimic a sportscaster — “She’s winning by 20 points!”

Jefferson easily beat Carter in the runoff, despite FBI raids in 2005 on Jefferson’s home and congressional offices — and lingering questions about $90,000 in marked money agents said they found in the congressman’s freezer.

Jefferson maintains his innocence and has repeatedly promised the public an “honorable explanation” for the seized cash.
In June 2007, six months after his re-election, Jefferson was indicted on 16 federal charges in an alleged international corruption scheme.

Meanwhile, Mose Jefferson, 66, the congressman’s older brother and chief campaign strategist, is facing federal corruption charges in New Orleans.

Subsequently, the congressman’s sister, Orleans Parish Tax Assessor Betty Jefferson, 70, and her daughter were charged in a separate alleged corruption scheme involving Mose Jefferson, who was also re-indicted. In addition, another indicted sister of the Congressman, Brenda Johnson, is cooperating with federal investigators, authorities said.

Rep. Jefferson’s own criminal trial in Virginia, involving lengthy wiretaps and thousands of pages of evidence, is set for Dec. 2.
Stripped of his congressional committee assignments, Jefferson campaigns for re-election in a city still reeling three years after Hurricane Katrina.

University of New Orleans political scientist Ed Chevernak says the major issues in the race include beefing up the levees, making sure the federal recovery dollars are flowing into the district for reforming the criminal justice system and the education system, and rebuilding  housing.

“If Jefferson makes the runoff it will be another black eye for New Orleans,” Chevernak said. “It makes it difficult to appeal to the federal government for more money when we are keeping the same old crowd in place. If (Jefferson) didn’t have that legal cloud over his head, it would probably be a cakewalk for him.”

Now, Jefferson faces six Democratic challengers in the Sept. 6 primary. All are seeking one of two runoff spots in the “second party primary” on Oct. 4. The winner advances to the Nov. 4 general election.