William Jefferson trial begins today
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- A pool of 100 potential jurors will gather in the federal courthouse in northern Virginia early today for the public corruption trial of former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans.
Jefferson, who served nine terms in Congress before being ousted in December, is accused of 16 counts of bribery, racketeering and violation of the Corrupt Foreign Practices Act for allegedly demanding and, in some cases, accepting payments to family-owned businesses in return for his help winning approval of projects in several West African nations.

If convicted, Jefferson, 62, would likely face up to 20 years in prison.

The trial is expected to last four to six weeks. The prosecution's case will include some of the hundreds of hours of secretly recorded conversations, many between Jefferson and Virginia businesswoman Lori Mody, a disgruntled investor who became a cooperating witness for the federal government.