Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards is plotting a return to politics after serving nearly 9 years in prison for racketeering, extortion and money laundering.
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| Former federal prison inmate #03128-095 is running for Congress in Louisiana |
"Edwin Edwards, a popular pol in his day, will try to make a political comeback despite his federal racketeering conviction 12 years ago and his advanced age: The Democrat is 86 years old.
Edwards told Bloomberg News on Wednesday that he'll try to win the seat held by Republican Bill Cassidy, who's vacating it to run for the U.S. Senate.
'I'm the only hope the Democrats have here,' the disgraced four-term governor said. And the kind of voters who will dismiss him because he's a convicted felon, he reasoned, 'wouldn't have voted for me anyway.' Edwards insists he's serious, saying he's 'just figuring out all the legalities and how to set up a super PAC, and then I'm going.'
That could be illegal in itself: Super PACs are independent political committees that aren't allowed to coordinate with the candidates they support. But there were no Super PACs in the 1960s, the last time he ran for Congress – and won.
Edwards was sentenced to 10 years in the slammer – he served eight and a half – for racketeering, extortion, money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud in connection with a kickback scheme involving a for-profit company that built prisons all across America."Continue Reading
I recently met former Governor Edwards at a Book-signing at a local bookstore. He is as sharp, charming and slick as ever. He once admitted to "60 Minutes" Mike Wallace in an interview he was crooked. He was promptly re-elected to the Governor's Mansion. Bill Clinton has nothing on this guy.
Outside of the Family of Huey Long, Edwards is possible the most popular politician in Louisiana history, and given the district he has chosen, it will be no surprise if he is given by the voters the opportunity to join Nancy Pelosi's Pack of Rats.
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