Jefferson wins new term

By JOE GYAN JR.
Advocate New Orleans bureau
Published: Dec 10, 2006


Despite an ongoing federal bribery probe and his removal from the influential House Ways and Means Committee, eight-term U.S. Rep. William Jefferson beat the odds and two-term state Rep. Karen Carter in Saturday’s runoff to retain his seat in Congress.
The 59-year-old Jefferson, who 16 years ago became the first African-American sent to Congress from Louisiana since Reconstruction, denied the 37-year-old Carter’s bid to become the state’s first black congresswoman.

Jefferson avoided becoming the only Democratic incumbent to lose in this year’s midterm congressional elections.

Jefferson made no mention of the federal investigation in his victory party remarks at the Embassy Suites Hotel in the city’s Warehouse District, but he told a small group of supporters that he hopes to build on his “record of effectiveness and record of productivity in Congress.’’

Jefferson’s victory marked the end of a bitter 4 ‰-week runoff campaign that saw the embattled incumbent attack Carter’s post-Katrina performance as chairwoman of the state House Insurance Committee and her pro-choice stance on same-sex marriages and late-term abortions.

In turn, the well-financed challenger fired away at Jefferson’s legal problems and called into question his ability to effectively represent the 2nd Congressional District at a time when its needs have never been greater.

The district — predominantly Democratic and black — covers most of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, except for pockets of Lakeview and Uptown, as well as south Kenner and most of Jefferson Parish’s West Bank.

Jefferson said it is now time to unite the East and West banks, black and white, rich and poor in order to speed up  the area’s recovery and “get our people back home.’’
“We want them all back home,’’ he said.

Jefferson’s legal woes, including allegations in an FBI affidavit that he hid $90,000 in bribe money in a freezer, came to light shortly before Katrina made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005. Jefferson’s homes and offices, including his congressional office, were raided but he has not been charged with a crime and he maintains his innocence.

Jefferson’s campaign slogan was “Still Fighting, Still Winning For Us.’’ During the campaign, he touted his seniority in Congress and his ability to form effective coalitions.

Jefferson, D-La., had the backing of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, outspoken Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee and state Sen. Derrick Shepherd, D-Marrero, who finished third in the crowded Nov. 7 primary that saw Jefferson collect 30 percent of the vote to Carter’s 22 percent and Shepherd’s 18 percent.

Carter, D-New Orleans, had the endorsement of the state Democratic Party, a majority of the New Orleans City Council and Jefferson Parish Council members, and former Democratic U.S. Sens. John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston as well as former Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris John.

Jefferson, a former state senator (1980-91) who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of New Orleans in 1982 and 1986 and governor in 1999, stressed his record of advocacy for the region during the campaign.

Jefferson said voters should not be swayed by “unproven allegations’’ that he solicited and accepted bribes to help promote a cable television and Internet business in Ghana and Nigeria. A Kentucky businessman and a former aide to Jefferson have pleaded guilty in the alleged scheme to get kickbacks for helping the businessman get contracts in Africa.

Carter, whose father is former Assessor Ken Carter, is a lawyer who worked as an intern for Breaux and former U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin. She argued during the campaign that Jefferson, who also is a lawyer, is “distracted’’ by his personal problems.

In the primary, Jefferson drew more than 70 percent of his votes from predominantly black precincts, while Carter found her votes in both mostly white and black precincts and also had a strong showing in more racially mixed neighborhoods.

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