Jefferson seeks return to House Ways and Means Committee

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Monday, December 11, 2006
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who won a runoff election Saturday despite being dogged by bribery allegations, will seek re-instatement to the powerful House Ways and Means committee, Rep. Mel Watt, D-North Carolina, told CNN Monday.

Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-California, led a successful effort last spring to strip Jefferson from the committee after the bribery allegations surfaced and justice department officials discovered $90,000 in his freezer.

Watt said Jefferson's decision to seek reinstatement is understandable considering the number of years Jefferson served on the committee.

"Logically that would be the committee that he'd be on," he said.

But according to one Democratic leadership aide it's "very unlikely" he'll get his seat back.

Another Democratic leadership aide told CNN the situation was definitely "awkward" and "in this climate it would be really difficult to put him back on."

Pelosi's position is that Jefferson should not be allowed to keep his seat until the FBI investigation into the bribery allegations is resolved, the Democratic aide said.

The Steering committee is scheduled to meet this week to decide committee assignments on the three most powerful committees, including Ways and Means.

-- CNN Congressional Correspondent Andrea Koppel
Article

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GUFFAW!

Is he crazy?

[Brassmask]

I hate to say it but Pelosi is about to impress me.


Harman, Jefferson snubbed as Pelosi announces new committee chairs, members

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Harman_Jefferson_snubbed_as_Pelosi_announces_1212.html

House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced today committee assignments for the new Congress that bypass Jane Harman (D-CA) for the intelligence committee chairmanship, and continue punitive measures against legally troubled William Jefferson (D-LA).

Though the full Democratic caucus will vote on the nominations, the recommendations have already passed through the Steering Committee, and as such are highly unlikely to be rejected in a full vote.

Jefferson was removed by the Democratic caucus from his post on the Ways and Means Committee after an ongoing investigation caught him on camera soliciting a bribe and unearthed $90,000 in FBI-marked bribe money in his freezer.

Harman, long considered a rival of Pelosi, was the second longest-serving Democrat on the Intelligence committee. She ranks only behind Pelosi herself, who is the longest serving member on the committee to date, counting her time as Whip and Leader.

Pelosi heralded the appointments, saying that her colleagues "will be a strong voice for all Americans, not just the privileged few."