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Ministers back U.S. Rep. William Jefferson for Congress
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Race
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| Contributor | Brandonius Maximus |
| Last Edited | Brandonius Maximus Oct 13, 2008 05:30pm |
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| Category | News |
| Media | Newspaper - New Orleans Times-Picayune |
| News Date | Monday, October 13, 2008 11:00:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | More than two dozen influential African-American pastors stood shoulder to shoulder Monday morning with embattled U.S. Rep. William Jefferson and pledged their support for the congressman's campaign to win a 10th term as he continues to face a federal indictment on charges of bribery and corruption.
Vouching for Jefferson's "integrity" and stressing that all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, the ministers argued that even with his legal problems, the incumbent would be a far more effective advocate for residents of the 2nd District than his challenger in the Nov. 4 Democratic Party runoff, former TV news anchor Helena Moreno.
"We still have one of the most powerful men in Congress in spite of what people say," said Bishop Paul Morton of Greater St. Stephen Ministries. "In this season of trouble and problems and situations that we're facing, we cannot make a change by electing the wrong person."
Morton said he believes Jefferson is innocent. But in a surprising nod to the contrary, the minister broached the prospect that a Virginia jury might find the congressman guilty of one or more of the 16 charges against him, a result that could force Jefferson to leave Congress before his term expires.
"If he wasn't (innocent), I would at least rather go back and have a speical election than to put the person in who will mess up our state and the things we need for our state," Morton said "We don't have time to settle."
While most of the pastors focused on Jefferson's strengths, the Rev. Tom Watson of Watson Memorial Teaching Ministries singled out Moreno. He accused her of "tricking" him during a 2005 interview about whether New Orleans police officers should be required to live in the city.
Watson said later that during that interview, he referred tangentially to an incident involving Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies. Without his knowledge, Watson said, Moreno solicited Lee's reaction to Watson's comment and refocused the story by pitting W |
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