Name That Party: Former Broward Commissioner Begins Prison Term

May 15th, 2010 11:46 AM

Okay boys and girls. It's time again to play that favorite NewsBusters game...Name That Party!

Today's game is a real challenge. The politician in question was a Broward County Commissioner sentenced to prison for money laundering. Hmmm... Broward County? Could the clue as to the party label be found from that fact? Nope. Too tough. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel does us no favors by completely avoiding political labels in its story about former Broward County Comissioner Josephus Eggelletion on his way to prison:

Former Broward Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion turned himself in around 2 p.m. Friday and began serving his 2-1/2-year federal prison sentence, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

Eggelletion, 61, of Lauderdale Lakes, checked in at the Federal Correctional Institution in Jesup, Ga., 100 miles from Jacksonville.

The Sun-Sentinel had more detailed information about Eggelletion but not a hint as to his political party:

The disgraced politician, now Inmate 91181-004, declined a request this week to be interviewed for this report. He pleaded guilty in December to money-laundering conspiracy and filing a false income tax return. He admitted accepting about $23,000 for helping undercover FBI  agents launder $900,000 of what he thought were proceeds from a Ponzi scheme or investment fraud.

And now a surprise from the same article. Bonus points are available if you can guess the political label of another politician serving time at the same prison:

Another fallen politician at Jesup is Jim Black, 75, former speaker of the North Carolina Legislature, who is serving several years for accepting thousands of dollars in illegal payments while an elected official.

Hmm... Also no information as to this prisoner's political party. However,  I am going to go out on the limb and guess that it is the same label as Eggelletion although I have absolutely no idea as to what that might be.

Okay, I'm stumped so I'll just have to cheat by checking the Associated Press story on Eggelletion:

A former Broward commissioner turned himself in and began serving his 2 1/2-year federal prison sentence.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons on Friday said Josephus Eggelletion checked in at the Federal Correctional Institution in Jesup, Ga., 100 miles from Jacksonville.

His attorney Johnny McCray Jr. said Eggelletion has prepared himself and he is ready to serve his sentence.

He pleaded guilty in December to money-laundering conspiracy and filing a false income tax return.

Eggelletion was Broward's vice mayor and a county commissioner.