Former Congressman William Jefferson, the New Orleans Democrat with bribery cash hidden in his freezer, was sentenced Friday to 13 years in prison, the longest-ever for a Member of Congress on a corruption charge -- yet the CBS Evening News didn't utter a word about it, just as that newscast ignored his August conviction, while ABC's World News didn't bother to mention his party affiliation.
NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams noted Jefferson's party in this short item: “Former Louisiana Democratic Congressman William Jefferson made headlines a while back when the FBI found $90,000 in cash hidden in his freezer. Today, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for taking bribes.”
ABC's Charles Gibson, however, the MRC's Brad Wilmouth noticed, failed to identify Jefferson as a Democrat: “Former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for his conviction on federal bribery charges. Authorities found $90,000 wrapped in foil in Jefferson’s freezer, part of the half million dollars prosecutors say he received for using his influence to broker business deals in Africa.”
This reticence to name Jefferson's party isn't anything new.
From August 6, “Nets Take Turns Failing to ID Convicted Democrat William Jefferson”
On Thursday, all three network morning news programs reported the conviction of former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson on bribery charges, but only NBC’s Today identified him as a Democrat. CBS’s Early Show and ABC’s Good Morning America simply referred to him as a “former Congressman.”
From August 5, “After Guilty Verdicts, NBC Fails to ID Jefferson's Party Affiliation”
Wednesday's NBC Nightly News devoted a full minute to the guilty convictions for bribery, racketeering and wire fraud against former nine-term Louisiana Democratic Congressman William Jefferson, but failed to name his political party.
ABC's Charles Gibson mentioned Jefferson's party in a brief World News item. The CBS Evening News didn't air anything about Jefferson's convictions which were announced just under an hour before the 6:30 PM EDT feeds of the newscasts shown in the eastern and central time zones, though Couric did manage to highlight how “Giants quarterback Eli Manning agreed today to a six-year deal for $97 million, making him the highest-paid player ever in the NFL.”
From May 22, 2006, “Borger Spins Democrat's Corruption Into Bad News for Both Parties”
Gloria Borger concluded her Monday CBS Evening News story on the FBI's weekend confiscation of cash from a freezer in Louisiana Democratic Congressman William Jefferson's home by declaring a pox on both parties: “At a time when 77 percent of the American public believes that all members of Congress take bribes, Congressman Jefferson's troubles help no one in either party.”
Unlike ABC anchor Elizabeth Vargas and NBC anchor Campbell Brown who noted Jefferson's party affiliation in their story introductions, CBS's Bob Schieffer managed to set up Borger's report without identifying Jefferson's party: “The government says FBI agents videotaped Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson taking $100,000 in cash from an informant and later found $90,000 in his home freezer.” Borger did subsequently identify Jefferson as a Democrat.
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Typical as usual...I'm to
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 17:38 ET by bigtimerTypical as usual...I'm to the point I expect nothing less from the msm.
We all know if this was reversed it would have been HUGE news, cameras everywhere, looking for a comment or sound-bite, the coverage, or better yet, non-coverage of what all this man did was outrageous...plus of course the word 'Repulican' would have been used numerous times.
I'm just waiting for the left to come out screaming 'racism' because he got the longest sentence any congress-critter has ever received.
Murtha...next...Rangel, next?
I'm not holding my breath.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
BT
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 17:58 ET by MrShyHey.... Not to mention...
THE. LONGEST. JAIL. SENTENCE. EVER. FOR. A. CONGRESSMAN/WOMAN.
MSM? Ho hum..... z z z z z. He's a (D), of course.
The 1st amendment was not
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 18:39 ET by notonmywatchThe 1st amendment was not intended to cover for propaganda like this.
___________________________________________________________
Graphical conservative commentary - animations & pictures for posting on forums: http://ubama.org/chucks-pix/
Telltale Marker
Sun, 11/15/2009 - 05:08 ET by AbraxosThis party affiliation thing that MSM anchors do and don't do, is one of the most consistent and obvious markers of media bias we see, and yet they keep doing it. They just can't seem to help it.
I'm glad that NB keeps track of this stuff. The really pathetic thing is, they deny it with a straight face and are even offended by the accusation. Blindness and denial surpassed only by their arrogance. Hey Charlie? Did you finally get the word about ACORN? Yeah... they got busted! Really, I'm not kidding you.
But
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 17:52 ET by ghost of Mary Jo KopechneWilliam Jefferson and Charlie Gibson are on the same team. You wouldn't want to think Charlie isn't a team player. Right?
Support Our Troops. God bless the military.
http://adoptaplatoon.org/
NOT the first time
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 18:07 ET by ptsonWhen this arrogant DEMOCRAT hijacked troops during Katrina to pack up his house and belongings, ignoring stranded citizens, the story got only brief coverage and without mention of his political party.
pts... Exactly
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 18:14 ET by bigtimerpts...
Exactly right...plus we now know he was retrieving his cold cash.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
That because
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 21:56 ET by doug1950he knew the boys in da hood would be over at his crib in no time checking out what wasn't nailed down and could be carted off. He figured they would steal anything and everything including what was cleverly disguised to look like ribeye steaks or maybe some frozen crawfish etouffee wrapped in aluminum foil. He was simply protecting his "investment".
Don't forget
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 20:26 ET by Tugboat PhilThe truck he commandeered got stuck in the mud and he left them behind after retrieving his cold cash.
Gun Control - The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her own pantyhose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound.
Akon! Convict Music!
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 18:36 ET by thedailyzingYo I'm Billy Jefferson from the second district trying to tell ya i ain't
no convict! I wrap my Benjamin's in tin foil! I sure don't want my
ninety grand to spoil! I keep it in my freezer trying to come up quick
like Julius Caesar!! Billy is wack and I hope he never comes back! For more awesome political humor click here http://thedailyzing.com/
Jefferson .. in LA Times
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 20:59 ET by Gary HallWell, the LA Times, which has on occassion, when they were not playing him up, covered the conviction of Rep. William Jefferson (D) in the paper. Actually it's more than I expected; an 88 word piece under the catch all "National Briefing" section, page A19, of briefs. It did include the "(D-La)." There is a longer piece from Bloomberg in the on-line LATimes, but what is clear, is that most readers of the LA Times will not hear the news - just as with 90% of the other criminal activity in the Democratic party. Only the R's are played up, and re-played time and time again.
(;~/ Gary
Look out all you greasy politicians
Sat, 11/14/2009 - 22:23 ET by thedailyzinglet this be a sign. Check out how The Daily Zing is using satire to battle these gaggle of goons, aka politicians. Click here: http://thedailyzing.com/mission-statement/