Alexandria, Va.
A federal grand jury this week indicted U.S. Rep. William Jefferson in connection with a long-running bribery investigation. Jefferson, a nine-term Louisiana Democrat, was charged with soliciting bribes from companies to promote their business ventures in Africa; two other figures in the alleged scheme already have been convicted. The FBI nearly two years ago videotaped an informant handing Jefferson $100,000 in marked bills, which he said he would use “as a motivating factor” to win approval of a deal to install Internet cable in Nigeria. Authorities later found $90,000 of the bills in Jefferson’s freezer. Jefferson, 60, says he is the victim of an unfair sting and will not resign from Congress as he fights the charges.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Mickey 17: 'charming space oddity' that's a 'sparky one-off'The Week Recommends 'Remarkable' Robert Pattinson stars in Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi comedy
-
EastEnders at 40: are soaps still relevant?Talking Point Albert Square's residents are celebrating, but falling viewer figures have fans worried the soap bubble has burst
-
What will the thaw in Russia-US relations cost Europe?Today's Big Question US determination to strike a deal with Russia over Ukraine means Europe faces 'betrayal by a long-term ally'
