WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (UPI) -- A federal appeals court Friday refused to take up an effort by Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., to get most of the corruption charges pending against him tossed.
The full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., in a one-paragraph statement, said it circulated the request from Jefferson's lawyers, but that no one on the court requested to hear the case, the (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported.
The New Orleans Democrat, in his appeal, argued that the Virginia grand jury, which indicted him in June 2007, had heard testimony about his congressional activities in violation of a separation of powers clause in the Constitution.
Jefferson, who lost his re-election bid Saturday, can ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the issue, the Times-Picayune reported.
He is accused of taking bribes or kickbacks for family members in return for promoting business interests in Africa.
