Free Dollar Bill

Let's get in the wayback machine and revisit the Bill Jefferson follies for a moment.  Today we're going all the way back to 2009 when some of us, learning the specific nature of the charges against ol' Dollar Bill, started to ask what's the big deal.  Or at least, we wanted to know how exactly this was different from the day to day legalized bribery that happens in Washington.

If a Congressman can be convicted for soliciting bribes even if the so-called bribery payments are unrelated to the Congressman's official duties, then doesn't that mean every former Congressperson/Senator who goes to work for a lobbying firm selling his or her influence and connections is guilty of the same thing? If so, how soon can we indict John Breaux, Billy Tauzin.... pretty much all of K Street?

Those other guys continue to enjoy status as respected (and wealthy) former statesmen.  Mary Landrieu has since joined them in the pantheon of (legal, of course) influence peddlers. Bill Jefferson is still in jail.

But this week, a new Supreme Court ruling suggests that maybe he doesn't have to be. 

Both had those dramatic details that make a corruption case scintillating to the media and the public. For (former Virginia Governor Bob) McDonnell, it was a Rolex watch and a Ferrari ride. For Jefferson, it was the $90,000 the FBI found in his freezer.

But the true parallels lie in what McDonnell and Jefferson were doing that attracted the scrutiny of federal prosecutors. Neither McDonnell nor Jefferson was writing legislation or changing laws or issuing orders in exchange for gifts or money.

They were peddling their influence.

The court ruled in the McDonnell case that selling an "official act" can be illegal. But, according to the opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, it "must involve a formal exercise of governmental power that is similar in nature to a lawsuit before a court, a determination before an agency, or a hearing before a committee."

That would seem to narrow the definition most people have of what constitutes public corruption and bribery and raise doubts about whether Jefferson's efforts to broker deals for a company were, in fact, an "official act."

They experts interviewed for the article suggest that the McDonnell decision is sufficiently narrow to keep Jefferson in prison. But the principle in play here seems even murkier than it did in 2009. If the Court isn't going to put McDonnell much less Breaux or Landrieu in jail, why are Bill Jefferson and Ray Nagin, even, there right now?

With citizens like these...

Pulling out before the job is done seems to be Bush's general attitude toward South Louisiana at this point. Oyster bullet points the various ways in which the federal coffers are not being opened to speed the Louisiana recovery, flood protection, and crucial (see just how crucial here) coastal restoration efforts. I find this a bit ironic as it was Oyster who pointed out to us in late 2005 that Bush claims to be sitting on a plan to "increase the wetlands by three million". If the President has indeed misplaced this plan, I should remind him that experimentation on such a scheme has already occurred in my neighborhood with results available for review here.

Particularly galling in this situation is the complicity of Louisiana Republicans in Bush's determination to feed us to the sea. Senator David Vitter has worked to prevent Louisiana from being forgiven the local matching requirements for federal disaster aid granted through the Stafford Act.. although this requirement has been waived numerous times in the past under less dire circumstances. US Rep and Gubernatorial candidate Bobby Jindal has repeatedly carried the water (so to speak) for Bush's anti-coast agenda. In fact, in Jindal's 2 page fund raising letter (leaning once more on Oyster here) he makes no mention of the most important issue facing the state he seeks to govern.

What is the deal with Louisiana Republicans? Here you have a lame-duck, historically unpopular President facing an all-out revolt by Congresspersons of his own party on what used to be his meat-and-potatoes type issues. And yet Louisiana Republicans continue to shill for his (non) recovery agenda at the most dire expense of their Louisiana constituents. If this is what we can expect from bona-fide Louisiana citizens, one can only tremble at what might have happened should a dangerous foreigner such as three-time Louisiana Senator John Breaux have been permitted to seek the Governorship. Truly, our state has dodged another bullet.

Neaux Breaux

I admit, I did NOT expect this. I can explain it.. but I didn't expect it. Will have to wait until I am not drunk at 5AM to say anything more.

Oh good Christ

via Suspect-Device

Foti punts to courts
State Attorney General Charles Foti says the issue of whether former U.S. Sen. John Breaux is a Louisiana "citizen," eligible to run for governor, should be decided by the courts.

Question #1 for the class: Could this mean that the Breaux camp would actually prefer to have this issue hang around well into the campaign.. or at least as long as Jindal and the Louisiana Republican apparatus continue choosing to preoccupy themselves with it?

Breaux For Maryland

Yes, it's cute but I think, as Stephanie Grace says this morning, it's likely to be a net minus to the Jindal people if they focus on it too much. Plus... I get the feeling they're messing with the wrong guy here.

Told that a GOP activist had sent out an e-mail likening Foti to ex-Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, a George W. Bush state campaign chair who saw no reason not to certify the messy 2000 results, Breaux quipped: "I thought they liked Katherine Harris."

B for M link via nolablogger

For Breaux, it's a geaux... as long as Foti says seaux

Breaux to run if AG says he is qualified
By Ed Anderson
Capital bureau

BATON ROUGE — Former U.S. Sen. John Breaux said Friday that he will run for governor this fall if an opinion from state Attorney General Charles Foti says he meets the legal qualifications to do so.

Adrastos offers some early handicapping

Breaux Ad

Does this mean he's in?

Meanwhile... does this mean John Edwards is out?

Okay a little less salt this time

Because this is Maginnis and not Crouere

Former Sen. John Breaux has told sources he is "very interested" in running for governor if Kathleen Blanco doesn't. The Fax Weekly spoke to three individuals who say Breaux directly told them of his renewed interest during Washington Mardi Gras. "This is the most interested I've seen him than all the other BS we've been through," said a friend of the 61-year-old ex-senator turned high-powered Washington lobbyist. He toyed with campaigning for governor in 2003 and for re-election in 2004, holding the political community and other campaigns in suspense until he announced he would not run. News of Breaux's interest both heartens Democrats and puts pressure on Blanco to make her decision soon. The governor is said to have a poll in the field.

Another impromptu strategy meeting with Dad during last night's parades confirms that there are indeed rumblings out there. Quote of the night: Dad believes it is imperative that Breaux enter the race in order to stop "the stupid stupid" (read: Jindal)

Okay.. grain of salt required

Seeing as how this is Crouere and all but there remains the possibility of a John Breaux for Governor campaign.

The rumor from the Washington Mardi Gras is that Blanco will make a decision by the end of the week and if she does not run, John Breaux will run.

That "end of the week" bit sounds hokey to me. While watching the Krewe of Pegasus, this past Saturday, Dad and I had one of those impromptu strategy meetings about the Governor's race. While I'm still holding out the possibility that Mitch Landrieu is not as damaged by his failed mayoral campaign as some may think, we are both agreed that if Breaux were to run he would stomp all over everyone. I still think that Breaux is quite content to remain in Washington living out his days as an energy industry sellout, but there might.. might still be some of the magical allure left in that old Governor's mansion for the one-time EWE protege. Stay tuned.