A jury chosen from a pool of nearly 100 northern Virginians will decide the fate of a former Louisiana congressman charged with taking bribes and other crimes.

The trial of former Congressman William Jefferson, a Democrat who represented parts of New Orleans, officially began Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

Potential jurors were told to fill out a questionnaire. The judge, concerned about exposure to pretrial publicity, reminded them that the case "involved a large sum of money found in a freezer." Federal agents found $90,000 in cash in a freezer at Jefferson's Washington home in 2005.

The former congressman said afterward he's confident he can make his case to the jury.

Attorneys are expected to question potential jurors individually Wednesday.