How can it be that the Post Dispatch has not covered and is not coving the biggest Congressional ethics scandal of 2007? At this moment, the Dem controlled House and Speaker Pelosi are taking steps to appoint Democrat Rep. William Jefferson to the Homeland Security Committee. That would be the same William Jefferson who is under federal investigation for demanding cash for favors that he could influence in his congressional role. Also the same William Jefferson who commandeered a National Guard unit during the height of Hurricane Katrina to retrieve a freezer full of cash:
According to the affidavit, Jefferson had asked the witness for a percentage ownership interest in his Nigerian broadband company in exchange for the congressman "using his official acts to support the Nigerian business venture".....................
Jefferson's partners have already begun to pleaded guilty:
Jackson pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this month to bribing the congressman with more than $400,000 in payments, company stock and a share of the profits in order to promote iGate's high-tech business ventures in Africa. Pfeffer, of Herndon, Virginia, pleaded guilty in January to aiding and abetting bribery of a public official. Both have agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of their plea agreements.....................
Pelosi removed Jefferson from his seat on the Ways & Means committee for obvious reasons and under deafening howls from the public. But now the party that ran on a platform of cleaning up corruption in Washington is back-dooring the "Freezer Cash New Orleans Rep" into a new committee seat? Unbelievable............
Equally unbelievable is the lack of coverage of this story from the Post Dispatch and why no "editorial offering", especially considering that Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt (US House Whip) is leading the opposition of Jefferson's appointment. We received a great deal of coverage and editorials on the Jack Abramoff scandal, and rightfully so. It was the absolute duty of the paper to report that corruption and I appreciate their efforts in reporting it thoroughly. So why no editorials and no coverage on this new "culture of corruption" that is brewing with the new Dem controlled Congress?
The Post Dispatch must start applying a much more balanced offering to what they elect to cover from a political perspective. In today's electronic New Media Age, failure to do so will make the paper irrelevant and lacking customer trust. Aside from that there is the whole mission statement requirement, I'd hope. The news world is flat and selective reporting even in a one paper town won't pass mustard any longer...................................
Here is the STL Today post discussing the question above: Bob Rose's Post
