June 7, 2007

"What About The People of New Orleans?"

Washington, DC (PoliticalJones.com) - The long awaited indictment of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has finally come down. The allegations and charges of bribery and public corruption are both serious and devastating for Rep. Jefferson, his family, Congress, and the people of New Orleans.

We all know that in America, there is a presumption of innocence until proven guilty. We also know that in America, most of the folks in our community don’t believe that we ever get that presumption. We also know that the major media outlets will focus on the political fallout along with his guilt or innocence by the jury of public opinion. Regardless of all the comments to the contrary, until he is found guilty by a jury of his peers, he is and should be presumed innocent.

Rep. Jefferson has made it very clear that he is innocent and intends to vigorously defend himself against these charges. This is his right as an American citizen. The real question becomes, what does this mean for the citizens of New Orleans who have elected him to represent their interest in Washington? I’m talking about those folks who never left New Orleans, those who have been able to return home to New Orleans, and those who have been relocated across the country, whose hearts and souls will always be in New Orleans. An enormous amount of help and support is still needed from all sectors of the nation, and already people are beginning to forget about the devastation and suffering that continues to this day, not only in New Orleans, but the entire Gulf Coast region. These folks continue to deal with the type of devastation and problems that are not only visible, but those buried deep in the soul of every Hurricane Katrina survivor.

The citizens of New Orleans need the full attention of their government officials on the local, state, and federal level. Rep. Jefferson will face a difficult dilemma. He is fighting not just for his political life, but also for his personal life. His family and his freedom must be his first priority right now. We all know that when the federal government uses its resources to prosecute someone, there is no time for half-steppin’. . . it’s on.

I could care less about the institutional policy which could result in him being expelled from Congress prior to being convicted of a crime, or how the political ramifications of his indictment will affect Congressional Democrats' efforts to remain in the majority. I do care about the folks in New Orleans and their efforts to rebuild not only their city, but also their lives. Now is not the time for ego or proving anyone right or wrong. Real leadership is having the courage to put others before yourself. It will be very interesting to see Rep. Jefferson as he decides what is more important, proving that the federal government is wrong about him or making sure his beloved city and homefolks get the full time commitment and attention needed from their elected federal officials to help rebuild, revive, and heal their city.

Hurricane Katrina has devastated both New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in ways that only residents of the region can truly and fully understand. As of right now, regardless of the innocence or guilt of Rep. Jefferson, the only people that are guaranteed continued suffering, are the citizens of New Orleans.

And that to me, is the real crime.