Rep. Jefferson Sued Over Alleged Bribes

February 14, 2007

Crime
Rep. Jefferson Is Sued Over Alleged Role In Bribes

A former stockholder in a technology company on Tuesday sued Rep. William Jefferson, his wife and a former business associate, claiming that they engaged in a scheme to defraud stockholders by using business funds to pay bribes. CongressDaily reports that the suit alleges that the Lousiana Democrat, his wife Andrea, and Vernon Jackson, the former chief executive of the telecommunications firm iGate, engaged in an illicit scheme to funnel money to Jefferson, his family and foreign officials. IGate stockholder Daniel Cadle filed the suit in U.S. district court in Louisville, Ky., and is seeking unspecified damages on behalf of all iGate stockholders. The allegations mirror those in an ongoing federal investigation of Jefferson and his business dealings. Jackson is serving seven years in federal prison. Jefferson has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing, but court records and the lawsuit indicate that the FBI caught Jefferson on videotape taking a $100,000 cash bribe.

Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.

Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.

Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.

Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.

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