Rep. Jefferson suffers another legal blow

Days after losing his congressional seat of more than 18 years, Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) has suffered another legal blow.

A federal appeals court has refused to reevaluate a ruling that rejected his request to throw out most of the corruption charges against him, according to a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

{mosads}The full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., issued a one-paragraph statement Friday, noting that it had circulated Jefferson’s request without success. None of the 11 judges on the court of appeals wanted to take it up for reconsideration.

The Louisiana Democrat has spent the last few years trying to fight allegations that he took bribes or kickbacks for family members in return for promoting business interests in Africa. Specifically, his lawyers had argued that the Virginia grand jury that indicted him in 2007 violated constitutional separation of powers protections for members of Congress when it interviewed some of his staffers.

Judge T.S. Ellis III had rejected that argument and a three-judge panel for the 4th circuit upheld Ellis’s ruling.

The only option Jefferson has left is to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his appeal.

Ellis on Friday also moved a Dec. 16 hearing of all remaining motions in the case to Jan. 15. At that time, he is expected to set a trial date.