Can a Viet first-generation immigrant political novice, former Jesuit seminarian, take on an eight-term Congressman and win?
That’s what the GOP is banking on in New Orleans, where Anh Joseph Cao (pictured, left) is running against incumbent William J. Jefferson (right), a Democrat under indictment for corruption, reports the L.A. Times here.
Jefferson is a tax attorney, a self-made politician who built his own voter-registration and GOTV machine that elected not just himself but also many of his proteges and family members to various offices in and around New Orleans.
Cao – who according to the Times story insists that people pronounce his last name the correct Vietnamese way with a very hard and dry ”C,” almost a “G” — is an immigration lawyer who once pursued the priesthood with the Jesuits.
Jefferson, Louisiana’s first black Congress member since Reconstruction, has been indicted for corruption. Among other evidence, Jefferson was videotaped by the FBI receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills in a leather briefcase at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington, Virginia.
In 2006, and the FBI raided his office and hauled away his papers, causing legislators from both parties raising issue of separation of power. President Bush took the unprecedented step of ordering his papers sealed while the courts reviewed the search. Ultimately, the federal court of appeals ruled that the Department of Justice could not look at Jefferson’s files until he has extracted legislative documents and the documents have been reviewed by a judge to make sure the FBI, part of the executive branch, could not see documents that belong to the legislative branch.
With such evidence against Jefferson, the House of Representatives, under the control of his fellow Democrats, voted to strip him of membership in the powerful Ways and Means Committee.
Nonetheless, Jefferson has since won not one, not two, not even three, but four elections.
In 2006, Jefferson ran for reelection and finished first in a field of 12.
Under Louisiana law, he had to compete in a run-off election, against State Representative Karen Carter, a black Republican who was endorsed not just by her party but also by Jefferson’s party the Democrats and every local media outlet. One person, however, opposed Carter – the sheriff. She lost. So that’s two for Jefferson.
Just this year, up for reelection again, Jefferson won the October primary, but did not garner more than 50% of the vote, so he went into a runoff election this past November 4, which he won handily against Helena Moreno, a former TV newscaster.
So now it’s off to a special election on December 6.
That’s the one that Anh Joseph Cao is taking Jefferson on. Most pundits, seeing how Jefferson has beaten everybody else even with the corruption charges hanging over him, label Cao the underdog.
But hey, if Ted Stevens can be beaten, anything can happen.
The first Viet Congressman may not hail from Bolsavikland after all.
The first Vietnamese Congressman will be our Assemblyman Van Tran. Assemblyman Tran Thai Van is the only Vietnamese with leader to be U.S. Congressman.
* This forum is becoming a slaughter house for some Vietnamese to neutralize other potential Vietnamese running for any office.
* This forum provides a black market for slandering good Vietnamese for one owns political ambition.
* Anti-communism does not mean against the government in Vietnam but a way to destroy Vietnamese here.
I am growing more cynical of this forum, and have enough of this charade.
The first Vietnamese congressperson would be someone who represents THE INTERESTS OF ALL PEOPLE NOT JUST VIET-AMs.
Bolsavik:
I found this…
http://www.newshorn.com/wiki/ANH_Joseph_QUANG_CAO/
Manh,
I doubt if Assemblyman Van Tran cares to be the first Congressman or not. As a fellow Republican, I am sure he would be happy and supportive if Joseph Cao does well against William Jefferson, who is so corrupt. Tran was very supportive of fellow GOP candidates who ran against Democrats including against Loretta Sanchez, although the GOP candidates did not do so well in the past.
The Vietnamese community needs a lot more Vietnamese-American elected officials in this country. It really doesn’t matter who’s first or second as long as the person serves the community.
Assemblyman Van Tran has right character.
manh, van tran is exactly what we dont need he is a disgrace. and gop voter, thats the problem we have, finding a viet elected official who actually serves the community. somehow it just doesnt seem to be working out for us.
jose s., you are not only a disgrace to your family clan but you are the twisted pervert from un forgiven sanctuary filled with filthy doomsday dust.
Assemblyman Van Tran has our community’s support.
Is Anh Cao the topic?
How is Van Tran a disgrace other than help the Viet community and his constituents. He’s such a disgrace that he gets elected to every position he runs in, much to the hatred and frustration of the Democrats. Shame on your name calling. You think name-calling help your case? Have you help your community yet befoire name calling? Your type of answers requires Jung Kim to teach you a lesson.
jose doesn’t want to see anyone being recognized for great community service.
A typical loser’s mentality.
it is very hard but we are looking forward to congratulating you. Mr Cao
Good luck to Mr. Cao and his efforts. It’s an uphill climb but again, look at Obama. Who would have thought? Just ask Hillary.
As for Jung Kim, you are a Blogger God, man!! You own and operate this blog. Take it to those self-hating Vietnamese. They are, as you said, a bunch of losers. They only like to criticize other Viets who are better and more successful than them.
Bolsavik:
Mr Cao’s case…
http://electionlawblog.org/archives/LACoordinatedExpendSuit.pdf
Good luck Mr. Cao. I hope he will be the first Vietnamese-American in U.S. House of Representative
“great community service”?! please. i want a fresh new crop of viet candidates with hopes of replacing the communist filth we have in there now. tony lam was the only elected official who was worth a sh** since then it’s all been downhill. and jung kim, you know as well as i do you would never say those things to my face. you’re a little coward.
jose s. aka chicken poop….yeah I can’t say thise things in front of your face only because… you might cry!
Think again, you pervert with chicken size balls!
Jose S**t,
You must be kidding to even bring Tony Lam the Commie Lover up. Yopu gotta give it up and go back to Santa Ana to play with your cholos, Janet and Andrew. Don’t be a bith on this blog around the holiday season.
BTW, is Tony Lam still selling noodles and vermin?
commie detector, no, tony lam isnt selling noodles anymore dont you remember? the filthy communists in our community shut his place down with their idiotic communist protests. and as far as janet and andrew, well they are just as bad as van tran and the rest of the idiots. didnt you see her eating roast pig with the commie filth on moran street? the pics are on this site.like i said before: show me one oc viet elected official thats worth a shi*? just one? and by the way, i do live in santa ana. the very west most side of santa ana thats a part of little saigon. iv’e been living here before it was called little saigon. so you and your little friend jung kim run along and play now and dream of a day when you might grow some balls. you disgrace the good viet-americans who live here.
Jose S**t,
Tony Lam is just a hustler for communist interests. Everyone in LS knows that except you. That’s why he is operating under ground and behjind closed doors. Maybe you are related to TL and his cohorts.
If you live in Santa Ana, then take your complaint to your fellow cholos Lou the Slick Correa, Jose Who? Solorio, and Loretta the Whore (not my word) Sanchez. What have they done for thsis community? No bleep from you. They don’t worth a sh*t. Why beat on your fellow Viets unless you are a self hater.
You have to have higher esteem. Did your step father molest you when you were a child too? You sounded like one of the posters whose step father molested her. Very sad for you Jose S**t.
Jose s. is another one of those BSer. He belongs in a bowl where you can flush him down. Just read his stupid post and you can smell the BS.
bs detector, what bs might that be?????
I hate to break up the love fest here but I wanted to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
you too paul!
It’s nice to be here with you in the discussion.Well, I will love to say Good luck to Mr. Cao. too.