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September 15, 2005
Congressman Sidetracks Katrina Rescuers to Secure Mystery Box
Thank you Congressman William Jefferson (D-LA) (no relation to the first black president, William Jefferson Clinton) for helping to demonstrate why it is crucial that oversight from someone other than Louisiana Democrats is applied to the billions upon billions of taxpayer money that the federal government is currently shoveling furiously into that state.
ABC News reports that five days after Katrina first hit, while other New Orleans residents waited on their roofs to be rescued, Jefferson — who as a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee is a guy with lots of juice among bureaucrats — hijacked the National Guard to check on his property and save his personal things from getting wet.
He had a 5-ton military truck and six MPs take him on a tour of flooded areas that he diverted to include his own house. The vehicle pulled up onto his yard so that he could get inside without getting his feet wet. Jefferson poked around inside for an hour while the soldiers — as if they had nothing better to do in the immediate aftermath of Katrina — waited on the porch, until he finally emerged to present them with a laptop, suitcases, and a box about the size of a small refrigerator.
Meanwhile, the truck had been sinking ever deeper into his yard. By the time Jefferson's stuff was finally aboard, the truck was going nowhere. The soldiers he had commandeered signaled a Coast Guard helicopter, which had been engaged in rescuing Jefferson's constituents from their rooftops. The chopper sent down a rescue diver, but Jefferson didn't feel like riding on it — whether he's afraid of heights or didn't want to part company with the mysterious oversized box is not known. The helicopter spent about 45 minutes trying to get him on board before going back to rescuing citizens. Shortly afterward, it ran low on fuel and had to quit.
The National Guard had to send a second 5-ton truck to rescue the first truck, as well as Jefferson and his precious belongings.
But not to worry: "Jefferson insisted the expedition did not distract from rescue efforts."
Possibly shedding some light onto Jefferson's intense commitment to the particular belongings that were rescued, ABC notes that the Congressman has been under federal investigation. His house, his car, and his accountant's house have been raided by the FBI. Federal law enforcement officials want to know if Jefferson used this little mission to move materials relevant to the investigation.
But again, don't worry. Jefferson says he didn't.
With thanks to Wiggins and Byron.
Posted by Van Helsing at September 15, 2005 12:15 PM
Comments
How sad it is that "Movin' On Up" is so often followed by "Crash and Burn."
Posted by: Bergbikr at September 15, 2005 2:38 PM
Charity begins at home.
If you don't know how to help yourself first, you cannot be able to help others.
Posted by: Orikinla Osinachi at September 15, 2005 4:19 PM
Leave it up to the Dems to vote for Smeagol.
Posted by: Sirc_Valence at September 15, 2005 8:35 PM
Sirc... BWAHAAAHHAA!
The story as it unfolds sounds more like a Cohen bros. movie. this preposterous liberal elitist fool (just a little more equal, he would have us believe) will twist on his own petard soon enough.
The question is: Will New Orleans ever learn from its dark past of corruption and political opportunism? Will it take Katrina to bitch-slap some sense into that city?
No disrespect intended at all to the victims. They sure as hell do not deserve to suffer. But some, from their actions in this time to test mens' (and womens') souls, just might.
Posted by: The MaryHunter at September 15, 2005 9:20 PM
