DOJ Presses Bribery Case
Legal Blog Updates
A US Department of Justice spokesman said Monday that the department would continue to press its bribery case against Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) despite the US Supreme Court's refusal to review an appeals court ruling that held the FBI's conduct during an 18-hour raid on Jefferson's congressional offices was unconstitutional. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit had ruled that, although the May 2006 raid itself was legal, the "compelled disclosure of privileged material to the Executive during execution of the search warrant" violated the Speech or Debate Clause because the FBI searched through privileged materials without giving Jefferson an opportunity to review the materials.
In June, Jefferson pleaded not guilty to charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, including bribery, racketeering, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Jefferson is accused of accepting approximately $500,000 in bribes from numerous companies in the US and Africa and faces a maximum sentence of 235 years in prison if he is convicted on all counts. Last January, former Jefferson aide Brett Pfeffer pleaded guilty to bribery charges for his role in the scheme.
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IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child. Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer.” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.