"Culture of Corruption" Another Congressman caught on video taking bribes

[Xiahou]

This is a little weird. "Office search riles GOP."

Nah, it's just stupid. This wasn't some presidentially ordered, spy on your political enemies deal- this search had a proper court order (with the judge specifically ordering the capitol police assist) and was part of a much larger, mature criminal investigation into wrongdoing.

Personally, I see this as having nothing to do with the Constitution and everything to do with our legislators feeling that they are above the law.

[drone]

Personally, I see this as having nothing to do with the Constitution and everything to do with our legislators feeling that they are above the law.

And probably our legislators feeling a little scared about stuff they have hidden in their offices. And in other news, 400 paper shredders were delivered to Capitol Hill this morning...

[Lemur]

New devlopment: Bush Orders Evidence Seized From Congressional Office Sealed.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bush Orders Evidence Seized From Congressional Office Sealed

May 25 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush ordered the Justice Department to put under seal evidence seized during a weekend raid on the congressional office of a lawmaker under investigation in a bribery case.

Bush took the step today after leaders of both parties complained that the Federal Bureau of Investigation overstepped the constitutional separation of powers by searching the government office of a member of Congress.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican, and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi yesterday issued a rare joint statement demanding the Justice Department return all documents taken from Representative William Jefferson's Capitol Hill office.

"I am directing the Department of Justice to seal all materials recovered from Congressman Jefferson's office for the next 45 days and not to allow access to anyone involved in the investigation,'' Bush said in a statement.

The material will be put in the custody of the U.S. Solicitor General's office.

Hastert has expressed frustration that the White House didn't consult him before the FBI searched Jefferson's offices on May 20. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, was videotaped accepting a leather briefcase containing $100,000 in cash from a government witness, according to an FBI affidavit filed in connection with the search warrant. He has denied wrongdoing and hasn't been charged with a crime.

Hastert discussed his constitutional concerns directly with Bush this week, said Ron Bonjean, the congressman's spokesman.

"Investigating and prosecuting crime is a crucial executive responsibility that I take seriously,'' Bush's statement said. "Those who violate the law, including members of Congress, should and will be held to account. This investigation will go forward, and justice will be served.''

Sealing the evidence will give both sides time to ``resolve the issues'' involved in the raid, Bush said.

[Xiahou]

New devlopment: Bush Orders Evidence Seized From Congressional Office Sealed.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bush Orders Evidence Seized From Congressional Office Sealed

May 25 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush ordered the Justice Department to put under seal evidence seized during a weekend raid on the congressional office of a lawmaker under investigation in a bribery case.

Bush took the step today after leaders of both parties complained that the Federal Bureau of Investigation overstepped the constitutional separation of powers by searching the government office of a member of Congress.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican, and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi yesterday issued a rare joint statement demanding the Justice Department return all documents taken from Representative William Jefferson's Capitol Hill office.

"I am directing the Department of Justice to seal all materials recovered from Congressman Jefferson's office for the next 45 days and not to allow access to anyone involved in the investigation,'' Bush said in a statement.

The material will be put in the custody of the U.S. Solicitor General's office.

Hastert has expressed frustration that the White House didn't consult him before the FBI searched Jefferson's offices on May 20. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, was videotaped accepting a leather briefcase containing $100,000 in cash from a government witness, according to an FBI affidavit filed in connection with the search warrant. He has denied wrongdoing and hasn't been charged with a crime.

Hastert discussed his constitutional concerns directly with Bush this week, said Ron Bonjean, the congressman's spokesman.

"Investigating and prosecuting crime is a crucial executive responsibility that I take seriously,'' Bush's statement said. "Those who violate the law, including members of Congress, should and will be held to account. This investigation will go forward, and justice will be served.''

Sealing the evidence will give both sides time to ``resolve the issues'' involved in the raid, Bush said.

I think he's trying to keep Hastert from coming totally unglued. Between this and the ABC story, he has seemed a little on edge lately.

I would be very suprised if the DoJ doesnt get the info that it wants- this is just a chance to placate and make nice with the Speaker.

Oh, and it's still totally ridiculous.

[Major Robert Dump]

wheres theres flys theres bodies.

FBI is executive branch, court is judicial, congress is gonna get bent over so BOOHOO. Make all their computers available, they are the most eligible and high percentile to become subject to corruption based on the very nature of a "representative" congress. I mean, really, go anti-earmark some district money to cover your butts you stupid F****s, because its all right
there in writing about your partnerships with your real estate buddies and your shell tax/non-profit schemes.

Screw Congress. screw earmarks as the most undemocratic act
Congress has ever perpetuated on us while pretending the country is in budget shortfalls, and screw all the old timers who keep their seats because they gladhand their consituents at the cost of the rest of the nation and continue to get reelected because the people who vote are the people they blow.

the national congress is a joke, let some people making 40k a year and who care about their conutry raid all their offices and stop being babies about activities that should be public info anyway. I hate congress.

[Blodrast]

so......sealing it for 45 days, and practically suspending the investigations for the same amount of time, will surely allow the parties to ... hell, yeah, I can see it clearly now ! Of course it will make the truth surface more easily !

Better yet, why don't we just bury it ?
Hmm, let's see, postpone it for 45 days, then maybe for a couple of months longer, and then do some hush-hush stuff and hopefully we'll all forget about that by then, and stop making such a ruckus, eh ?

Don't worry, MRD, I hate politicians with a passion as well.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Why in heavens name should this require 45 days?

Warrants were obtained and due process followed. The only possible reason for judging the search to have been inappropriate hinges on a Constitutional question. Therefore, the issue should be put before the Supreme Court on a fast-track and answered before the close of this session.

The relevant clause:

Article I, Section. 6; Clause 1:

The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.6 They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.

You either take the view that a Representative in question is free from intrusive investigation as a consequence of her/his "privilege from arrest" under this clause, or you take the view that the collection of evidence aside from direct interrogation does not contravene this privilege. So get the attornies briefed -- should take about a week -- and resolve this puppy.

45 days is tripe. The only court that can issue a binding decision on this is the SCOTUS, and 45 days puts them in recess with no decision until mid-November possible. Of course, that's after the election, so this is probably designed with exactly that in mind.

My country's inability to resolve ANYTHING meaningful aside from military action between Memorial day and November 15th on the year of an election is a never-ending source of irritation for me. These people -- and I am being thoroughly bipartisan in this label -- wouldn't pass a resolution banning a fart in church during an election summer.

[Xiahou]

There's a clear felony exception- so if the above mentioned clause even did apply to their offices, it still wouldnt apply in this case because bribery is most certainly a felony.

[Blodrast]

Aaah, the summer recess had completely slipped out of my mind !...
Well, thank you, Seamus, now that you pointed that out, I guess it's pretty clear what the whole intent is - just like you said.
Mid-November, and then there'll be some more tergiversation (yup, I looked that up just to make sure :P), and, like I said, by the time this actually gets looked into, it'll be be completely forgotten, and, most likely, obsolete/irrelevant by who-knows-what else will happen in the meantime.

All in favor of actually bringing this issue into the light, raise your hands !
Anybody ? Anybody at all ? ... Ok, I guess not.