Anne L. Kim, CQ Staff
It would be an understatement to say that controversy-plagued Louisiana Democratic Rep. William J. Jefferson is running for re-election this year under less than optimal circumstances. Yet it is not an exaggeration to say that he is a nearly prohibitive favorite to win his bid for a 10th House term in the weather-delayed Dec. 6 general election in the New Orleans-based 2nd Congressional District.
The 61-year-old Jefferson is awaiting trial on federal bribery and corruption charges. Even before his indictment in June 2007, the House Democratic leadership removed him from the prestigious Ways and Means Committee — prompted by the Justice Department investigation into his activities, which included a highly publicized allegation that Jefferson had foil-wrapped $90,000 in bribe money and stored it in a freezer.
