Friends come out for former Rep. Jefferson

NEW ORLEANS, May 15 (UPI) -- William Jefferson's supporters talked about the "challenge" facing the former congressman at a New Orleans tribute Thursday, not about his coming trial.

About 100 "Friends of William Jefferson" gathered at the Watson Memorial Teaching Ministries Fellowship Hall, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported. The event was billed as a "celebration of service."

In 1990, Jefferson, a Democrat, was the first black to be elected to Congress from Louisiana since Reconstruction. But his career ended in disgrace with a federal investigation that included the FBI finding $90,000 in cash stored in a freezer, a corruption indictment and then his loss last year to Republican Anh Cao.

Jefferson is scheduled to go on trial on June 2 in federal court in Virginia.

"We're here to say we love you, we're with you and we'll hold hands with you," the Rev. Tom Watson said.

Guests were encouraged to donate money for Jefferson's legal expenses, although no speaker made any direct mention of his indictment or trial. Several referred to the "challenge."