High court rejects Bill Jefferson appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by convicted former Louisiana Congressman Bill Jefferson. 

 It is the end of the saga for the man some have mockingly called "Dollar Bill."

 

A federal jury in Virginia convicted Jefferson in 2009 of taking bribes in exchange for his congressional influence for a business venture in Africa.  The FBI famously found $90,000 in cash wrapped in aluminum foil and stashed in his freezer.  Gambit magazine co-owner and political commentator Clancy DuBos says it was Jefferson's greed that did him in.

 

"From fairly early in his tenure as a politician, former mayor of New Orleans Dutch Morial nicknamed him "Dollar Bill," and said the guy only worshipped money," DuBos recalled.  "He...had some apparently deep-seated need to use his political position to make money."

 

Jefferson was born in one of the poorest regions of the nation -- East Carroll Parish.  But after graduating from Southern University, he was admitted to Harvard law, earned his degree, and soon became a mover and shaker in Louisiana politics.

 

"In his prime, he was one of the stars of the Louisiana legislature, became very powerful," DuBos said.  "Became the first black congressman from Louisiana, and was a real power not only locally in New Orleans but statewide."

 

But it all began to unravel in 2005, when FBI agents arrived at Jefferson's home with a search warrant, and found the infamous freezer money.  Jefferson managed to win a close reelection in 2006, but in 2008, under indictment but not yet tried on charges of corrupting his office, Jefferson lost to Republican Ahn "Joseph" Cao.  

The jury convicted Jefferson in August 2009

 

Jefferson  must serve at least 11 years of his sentence to be eligible for parole,  and by the time he's eligible for release, he'll be 76 years old.