Thursday, May 25, 2006

Ken Lucas gets serious!

Got this press release in my inbox a while back and just now had the time to post it. Due to length, I will not be blocking the quote:

Ken Lucas Calls on Rep. William Jefferson to Resign Immediately
Lucas: “We must remove the cloud of corruption from Congress.”


COVINGTON, KY – Congressman Ken Lucas (D-Kentucky), candidate for the 4th Congressional District, today called for the immediate resignation of Rep. William Jefferson (D-Louisiana). Jefferson has been under intense investigation for allegedly taking bribes from contractors in exchange for his support for their businesses. This week, national press reports revealed that an FBI sting investigation caught Jefferson taking $100,000 in bribes and then hiding $90,000 of the money in his freezer.

“This Congress has been soaked in scandal and has almost totally sacrificed the public trust,” said Lucas. “I will stand against unethical conduct today as I always have – with a blind eye to political party. I believe that public corruption is reprehensible in any form and whether it is committed by a Democrat or a Republican.

“Therefore, I am publicly calling for Congressman Jefferson to resign his seat in Congress. He is, of course, entitled to fight these charges. But in my view, there is no good explanation for stashing bribe money in one’s freezer. The House has absorbed too many instances of confirmed corruption these past months. Congressman Jefferson should leave now so his case doesn’t do further harm to the House and further distract the Congress from the people’s work.

“I appeal to Democratic Leadership and the Democratic Steering Committee to strip Rep. Jefferson of his committee assignments at once. I believe that the charges he faces are of such a serious and consequential nature that he not be allowed further opportunity to work on the House Ways and Means Committee.”

Ken Lucas has a long history of speaking out against public corruption and immoral conduct by public officials – Democrat and Republican.

His campaign again challenged Geoff Davis to take a strong stance against congressional corruption.

“Geoff Davis has been silent as Rep. Duke Cunningham and former DeLay aide Tony Rudy pleaded guilty to public corruption charges. He has said nothing to separate himself from Rep. Tom DeLay and Rep. Bob Ney as they have been enveloped in scandal. In fact, Geoff Davis refuses to give back the dirty money he has taken from DeLay, Ney, Rudy and Cunningham. Given Geoff Davis’ silence on congressional ethics and his valuing dirty campaign cash over clean government, he has proven himself unworthy of remaining in office,” said Bob Doyle, a Lucas advisor.

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