[You Dirty Rats]

Well, Hastret is merely protecting Congresses right to be free from intimidation from the Executive. Can you imagine if Clinton's justice department had used bogus investigations to intimidate congress? Hell, look at what they did with FBI files.

Still, Hastret's concerns are misplaced in this instance since the FBI obtained a lawful warrant from the JUDICIARY. Honestly, lets have this out in court. I am sick of congress trampling over separation of powers and then expecting the principle to apply to them.

Well said on both counts. I agree that Congress is not immune from the Law, but if Janet Reno had ordered the FBI to search Newt Gingrich's office we'd all be screaming -- with some reason -- that Hillary was using Gestapo tactics. A search warrant from a Clinton Judge would not have made much of a difference.

I suspect this will end up in front of SCOTUS at some point.

[California Patriot]

You're neglecting an important little detail. The FBI actually found something very incriminating in Jefferson's office. This isn't some abusive fishing expedition intended to punish political dissent, as in your hypothetical Clinton-against-Gingrich example. It's legitimate law enforcement. Kudos to the FBI. They did the right thing. Frankly, I'd like to see more raids on Capitol Hill.

[P-40]

if Janet Reno had ordered the FBI to search Newt Gingrich's office we'd all be screaming

If I knew that Gingrich was freeze drying cash at home...I would not have a problem with the search. At that point I'd be ready for him to be under some heavy investigation if not outright removal from office. He'd need one very good response to the allegations, in other words.

And on the searches themselves:

This from the Washington Post makes sense:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/22/AR2006052201080_pf.html

The constitutional privilege for lawmakers does not "expand to insulate everything that goes on in a congressional office, especially if there's allegations of abuse of process or bribery," Dinh said. ". . . The fine line is whether or not it relates to a legislative process or not, not whether they've raided his office."

[dirtboy]

I agree that Congress is not immune from the Law, but if Janet Reno had ordered the FBI to search Newt Gingrich's office we'd all be screaming

If Reno's FBI had found ninety grand in marked bills in Gingrich's freezer, I would have approved Reno personally strip-searching Newt in his office. There was plenty of probable cause for the search that preceded the search.

[LibLieSlayer]

If Newt had been caught red-handed with 90 LARGE (FBI marked bills) in his freezer, associates already pleading guilty and turning "States Evidence", and confessions on tape, then I think you would find little more than a whimper out of our base.

LLS