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Birds of a feather flock together.

Let the record reflect that convicted gangster William Jefferson, a Democrat who used to represent New Orleans in the U.S. House of Representatives, has (or had might be a better word) ties to the radical activist group ACORN.

ACORN and Jefferson weren't exactly bosom buddies, but they did work together.

I call Jefferson a gangster, by the way, because last week he was convicted of racketeering.

ACORN helped get Jefferson elected years ago.

SEIU gave Jefferson's campaign $5,000 in the 2000 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Two of SEIU's locals are part of the ACORN network. Local 100 covers Louisiana. Its chief organizer is disgraced ACORN founder Wade Rathke who remains at large despite his role in covering up his brother's nearly $1 million embezzlement for eight years.

Jefferson received ACORN's Friends of the Poor award from its Louisiana chapter. (Times-Picayune, Jan. 28, 1996)

Jefferson participated in an ACORN rally protesting proposed federal budget cuts. (Times-Picayune, April 12, 1995)

Jefferson doesn't appear to have had close ties to ACORN in recent years, though. Perhaps one day in the not-too-distant future we'll find out why.

View all comments (8) | Leave a comment

Willey| 8.10.09 @ 8:33PM

MV, for whom did you clarify your use of the word 'gangster' in describing Jefferson? Liberal "FU" Reader?"

Matthew Vadum| 8.10.09 @ 10:21PM

Willey: It is a heavy word to hurl at someone and I just wanted to preempt any challenges regarding its applicability to Jefferson. I would probably do so even if Liberal Reader were not a frequent commenter at this blog.

SoCon| 8.11.09 @ 12:32AM

LR/Jeremiah is chicken; he won't blog on threads that prove Democrat corruption. Besides, LibReader/Jeremiah has morphed once again, and is now "Leo."

Don| 8.11.09 @ 2:29PM

ACORN involved with gangsters, shady characters, and voter registration fraud? Unbelievable!

Rosenlundkv| 8.11.09 @ 2:37PM

This is one classic example for term limits. When these sticky fingers are part of the landscape they feel that they are entitled to skim the coffers.

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More Blog Posts by Matthew Vadum

http://spectator.org/blog/2009/08/10/convicted-gangster-ex-rep-will
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