the Centrist

As I made a run for some needed supplies to our local hard ware store the radio caught my attention: “According to ABC News … Amid the chaos and confusion that engulfed New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck, a congressman used National Guard troops to check on his property and rescue his personal belongings — even while New Orleans residents were trying to get rescued from rooftops, ABC News has learned. On [Friday] Sept. 2 — five days after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast — Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who represents New Orleans and is a senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, was allowed through the military blockades set up around the city to reach the Superdome, where thousands of evacuees had been taken. (Jefferson) asked the National Guard that night to take him on a tour of the flooded portions of his congressional district. A 5-ton military truck and a half dozen military police were dispatched. Lt. Col. Pete Schneider of the Louisiana National Guard tells ABC News that during the tour, (Jefferson) asked that the truck take him to his home on Marengo Street, in the affluent uptown neighborhood in his congressional district. According to Schneider, this was not part of Jefferson’s initial request.” exclaimed radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
Upon reaching Jefferson’s residence the 5 ton truck was commanded to back up to the Congressman’s palatial porch. The truck backed onto the flooded lawn because even Jefferson … apparently believing himself to be a mere mortal … realized he couldn’t walk on water. He entered his home alone and with dry feet. He emerged with: a laptop, 3 suitcases, and a refrigerator sized box of personal belongings, according to ABC. But by that time the heavy truck was hopelessly stuck in the mud. The National Guardsmen realizing not only their plight, but that of others trapped on countless roofs around the city, flagged down a passing helicopter. The Guardsmen assumed that the Congressman would be grateful for the rescue. They were wrong. Jefferson refused to leave without his belongings. The chopper was made to hovered for over forty five minutes while the Guard futilely tried to convince the Congressmen that the helicopter was their best hope of rescue. After wasting both precious minutes and treasured fuel the chopper departed with its ‘cargo’ of four previously rescued victims to continue its mission adding only three more to their ‘payload’. The soldiers were ordered to expropriate yet another truck … along with still more essential Guardsmen … to rescue Jefferson and his “stuff”.
It was the main stream press, that bastion of liberalism who uncovered this story. Bravo. Later that day, as I penned this article, I predicted to my better half (and that is not allegorical) that we had basically heard the last of that story. As of this writing unfortunately I was correct. It is not enough for the press to uncover a story, they must keep it in front of the public until action is taken. Yet when the perpetrator is liberal, they simply drop it. That same press, during this same time, and in this same tragedy, kept Michael Brown’s feet to the fire (Head of FEMA) for being 24 hours late in his response. For the record, according to Fox News, that is faster than any FEMA reaction during any emergency event (including the Oklahoma City Bombing) of the Clinton eight year administration. Brown was also the ‘very competent’ FEMA Director during all of those hurricanes in Florida last year. Yet the main stream media kept that story alive until Brown became the story … and eventually was forced to resign. What is detestable with the Jefferson story, is not only the obscene abuse of power, but also that the same press is unwilling to treat this liberal minority Congressman in the same matter as they did the conservative FEMA Director.
Moreover, Jefferson is not without legal problems. According to the AP he has been the subject of an FBI search warrant. Some claim this is for suspected fraud in a telecommunications scandal with Nigerian Vic President Atiku Abubakar. Abubakar’s Maryland residence (owned by his American wife) was simultaneously searched by the FBI. Considering this FBI investigation it should be pertinent that the press investigate the exact contents of Jefferson’s all important parcels. The question in front of us now, should be: ‘What could make a savvy veteran Congressman risk his career for ‘stuff’? Some logically fear it was evidence thus far, hidden from the FBI. For the record the Congressman thinks he did nothing inappropriate.
One might justly ask: where is the outrage from the likes of: Reverend Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Sen. John Kerry, Head of the Democratic National Committee Howard Dean, Film maker Michael Moore, Former Pres. Bill and Sen. Hilary Clinton, or former Vice Pres. Al Gore … all of whom clamored for the firing of Brown and have accused the administration of racism? Yet when ‘one of their own’ is caught in such an abusive action there is no outcry … and their silence, as well as the lack of follow up and outrage from the main stream media, reveals both their bias and agenda.