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By Vladimir Posted in $90000 | Congress | IN HIS FREEZER!! | William Jefferson — Comments (3) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Or: Secrets of the Yahyah Brotherhood

There is already a serious problem with the government's case, according to the new Jefferson brief.

The 16-count indictment returned one year ago by a Virginia grand jury, makes mention of a secretly recorded conversation between Jefferson and cooperating government witness Lori Mody. According to the FBI transcript, Mody asked the congressman if he delivered the $100,000 in cash she had provided him to the Nigerian vice president. Jefferson, according to the transcript, said the "African art" -- which prosecutors say was code for cash -- had been delivered to the vice president.

At the time, Jefferson was promoting a Nigerian telecommunications project Mody had invested in.

"As the government is well aware, however, no cash was ever passed to the vice president," the Jefferson brief said. "Instead, Mr. Jefferson took it home and secured it in his freezer."

Let me get this "alibi" straight: Rep. Jefferson (D-LA) took the intended bribe money under false pretenses, while conducting his own sting operation, right? And the Frigidaire was the closest thing he had to a lockbox?

And there's also this:

Rep. William Jefferson's attorneys are accusing the Justice Department of threatening potential witnesses in his corruption case with prosecution "should they testify in a way that does not match the government's story."

At issue is whether the U.S. District Court should compel the Justice Department to use international legal treaties to secure pre-trial depositions from former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Nigerian businessman Suleiman Yahyah, both who deny engaging in a bribery scheme with Jefferson.

T-P link.