House Scandal Target, CURIA Sponsor Wins Special Election

NEW ORLEANS – Democratic Congressman William Jefferson, who was the first Black elected to the House in Louisiana since Reconstruction, won easy reelection to the House Saturday in a special election, despite being the target of a well-publicized corruption probe. Jefferson won 57% of the vote against fellow Democrat, state Rep. Karen Carter to win his ninth term in the House, in a run-off required because Jefferson failed to gain a majority of votes on Nov. 7. Carter was unable to capitalize on a scandal that included allegations the FBI found $90,000 in bribe money in Jefferson's freezer. A solid credit union supporter who sits on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, Jefferson is one of the co-sponsors of CURIA, the CU Regulatory Improvements Act. CUNA has responded with $10,000 in campaign contributions, including $5,000 as recently as November 24, to help Jefferson in the special election.