Congressman William Jefferson & Vice President Atiku Abubakar of Nigeria
Posted on 05/24/2006 12:06:22 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Democrats sought to get embattled Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) to resign his seat on the House's most prestigious committee.
"In the interest of upholding the high ethical standard of the House Democratic Caucus, I am writing to request your immediate resignation from the Ways and Means Committee," wrote House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in the one-sentence correspondence.
The Louisiana Democrat was defiant.
"With respect, I decline to do so," he wrote back to Pelosi."I will not give up a committee assignment that is so vital to New Orleans at this crucial time for any uncertain, long-term political strategy."
Earlier, House Speaker Dennis Hastert demanded that the FBI surrender documents it seized and remove agents involved in the weekend raid of Jefferson's office, under what lawmakers of both parties said were unconstitutional circumstances.
"We think those materials ought to be returned," Hastert said, adding that the FBI agents involved "ought to be frozen out of that (case) just for the sake of the constitutional aspects of it."
The Saturday night search of Jefferson's office on Capitol Hill brought Democrats and Republicans together in rare election-year accord, with both parties protesting agency conduct they said violated the Constitution's separation of powers doctrine.
Support from a majority of the House would be required to strip Jefferson of his seat on the panel. It was not immediately clear whether such a vote has been planned, according to knowlegable officials of both parties who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Jefferson, meanwhile, on Wednesday filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan to order the FBI to return all of the documents taken from his office during the 15-hour search. Hogan was the judge who last Thursday issued the warrant authorizing the search.
The congressman also asked that FBI and Justice Department attorneys be prohibited from reviewing the documents and that they be locked up until the judge acts on the motion.
Jefferson's motion said the search violated "speech and debate" protections in the Constitution to insure the independence of lawmakers.
Presidential administrations and the Congress have routinely subpoenaed information from each other, and often they have refuse to cede the materials sought.
This is the first time the branch seeking the information dispatched its law enforcement arm to wrest information from the office of a sitting congressman who is the target of a probe.
Republicans, meanwhile, were being careful to protest the raid without defending Jefferson, in an increasingly tense relationship with the White House over its use of executive power.
A day earlier, Hastert, R-Ill., complained personally to President Bush about raid. Other House officials have predicted that the case would bring all three branches together at the Supreme Court for a constitutional showdown.
In April, Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., personally told Bush that "the president doesn't have a blank check" during a discussion of Bush's domestic wiretapping program.
Hastert kept up the drumbeat after the FBI's raid of Jefferson's office.
"My opinion is that they took the wrong path," Hastert said after meeting with Bush in the White House. "They need to back up, and we need to go from there."
The developments are the beginning of what lawmakers predict will be a long dispute over the FBI's search of Jefferson's office last weekend. Historians say it was the first raid of a representative's quarters in Congress' 219 years.
FBI agents searched Jefferson's office in pursuit of evidence in a bribery investigation. The search warrant, signed by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Hogan, was based on an affidavit that said agents found $90,000 in cash wrapped and stashed in the freezer of Jefferson's home.
White House officials said they did not learn of the search until after it happened. They pledged to work with the Justice Department to soothe lawmakers.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales tried to strike a conciliatory tone, saying, "We have a great deal of respect for the Congress as a coequal branch of government." But he also defended the search: "We have an obligation to the American people to pursue the evidence where it exists."
Justice Department officials said the decision to search Jefferson's office was made in part because he refused to comply with a subpoena for documents last summer. Jefferson reported the subpoena to the House on Sept. 15, 2005.
I can't believe this guy really thinks he's going to get away with it.
Does Hastert have something in his freezer?
Does Hastert think that members of Congress are above the law?
What am I saying, they all believe that laws are for others, not for them!
Hopefully Jefferson will stay on the Ways and Means Committee until the cell door slams shut. It will make for good rebuttal remarks to Pelosi every time she opens her mouth about the Repub culture of corruption.
Just keep her away from high places, sharp objects and Jefferson. :)
He's trying to protect ALL Congressmen--including himself and his caucus--from searches.
He may not be dirty--but he may know who is.
Culture of corruption!
Culture of corruption!
1) Jack
2) Abramoff
The FBI is just treating Congress like it treats ordinary citizens. Which, of course, is what pisses off Congress.
At least some of the ones currently under investigation usually have the good sense to step down before being asked.
I don't agree with your premise. I don't see where in the Constitution it prohibits searches of his office.
BINGO!!
A naiive, stupid move. When the DemonRATs regain power, they'll do a heap of searches of every Pubbie's office regardless of what Hastert has done for the dirtiest member of the 'RAT caucus and regardless of whether there is any legitimate reason to conduct said searches.
Separation of powers blah blah blah! What about checks and balances? If the judicial branch can can't sign a warrant and the executive branch can't execute it, then there is no check and balance on the criminality and corruption of legislators. This is absolute BS.
Or Hitlery or Russ el-Slimeroad is President?
We'll go back to the days of the House bank, or the House Post Office. Remember those days?
The REAL question is: when will they hound him out of Congress and indict him a la Delay?
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