La. official: FBI wanted dirt on Nagin

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- A Louisiana state senator Wednesday accused the FBI of targeting him because he refused to incriminate a member of Congress and the mayor of New Orleans.

At a news conference outside his lawyer's office, Derrick Shepherd denied any illegal activity, The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported. An FBI agent testified this week at a hearing for bond broker Gwendolyn Joseph Moyo that Shepherd helped her launder $141,000 in fraudulent profits.

Shepherd said the FBI came to him looking for evidence against Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. -- who is under indictment on corruption charges. He said investigators were also looking for information on New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana state Rep. Karen Carter.

Shepherd and Carter, both Democrats, ran for Jefferson's seat last year, with Carter losing a runoff.

Both Carter and Nagin denied being under investigation.

"I did not do anything illegal, unethical, immoral or improper," Shepherd said of his work for Moyo. "I was hired legally, I performed my job legally and I was paid legally. I will not flip against any elected official when there is no proof of illegal conduct. In my opinion, to do so otherwise would be an abuse of discretion and power."