Stop Whining and Take Your Medicine

In the news today there is a story about how the black caucus in Washington is crying “unfair” for the treatment of Representative William Jefferson. For those who do not know, Jefferson was caught on video tape by the FBI accepting a $100,000 bribe and $90,000 was found in his FREEZER at HOME. According to the caucus, the only reason why this case is being pressed is because Jefferson is black. As such, everyone assumes he is guilty without just cause and therefore needs to step down from his post on the Ways and Means Committee. While Jefferson has no intention of stepping aside, many in his own party are calling for him to do that in order to get past this and make ethics a political rallying point in November.

Fact of the Matter

“The bitch set me up!” Remember that famous line? The fact of the matter on this situation is that when your hand is caught in the cookie jar, playing dumb and saying you were doing nothing wrong isn’t going to work. Remember folks, if it looks like a duck, talk likes a duck, walks like a duck, and even tastes like a duck, it is a duck. The FBI FOUND the money. He was CAUGHT on tape. Two of his associates have been put on trial.

Even more galling is that the black caucus says Jefferson is being presumed guilty without a case being heard. But how often is it a Republican is presumed guilty without the benefit of a case? Must the Republican Party be held to a higher standard simply because they are conservative?

We need to remember that ALL our elected officials must be held to a higher standard of responsibility because they are meant to be our authority figures. Tom DeLay was smart enough to resign. IF he is able to beat all of the charges brought against him, then we will see what happens, but the man still stepped aside for the good of his party. I think it is high time Democrats realize that they do not have a veil of purity on their heads. After all, the black caucus might love Democrats, but which party was it that supported slavery?