Ray Nagin was found guilty of 20 out of 21 counts of bribery, wire fraud, tax evasion yesterday. In a deal worth $170,000, Nagin pressured Home Depot to give Stone Age business and in exchange he helped the store evade an agreement to hire local residents and pay them above-market wages. Nagin, who was the widely visible face of New Orleans during hurricane Katrina, accepted vacations, cell phones, and a birthday party from businesses and vendors. U.S. Representative William Jefferson was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison in 2009—the longest sentence ever given to a member of Congress—for taking bribes.

More...