Clean Out the Criminal House

UPDATE: Hmmmm…. From the sublime to the absolutely ridiculous, I bring you… Joint Statement from Speaker Hastert and Minority Leader Pelosi

Excuse me, but the FBI tapes Democratic Rep. William Jefferson taking $100
grand, in $100 denominations, $10,000 of which is later found in his freezer,
and Speaker Hastert says the search is “unconstitutional” on a separation
of powers argument?

Did we just wake up in political Disneyland? Someone please tell me what I'm
missing here.

That I'm agreeing with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on this one makes
the matter even worse. I don't like agreeing with our waterboarding fetishist
top cop on anything.

Leader Pelosi (don't you just love that title) has demanded Rep. Jefferson
resign from Ways and Means. He says no, but read his
response, which is classic. It's all because his district needs him. I'm touched. He's lost it.

But what's even worse than Jefferson's alleged crookery is that Republican
House leaders are actually saying the search is worth taking to the Supreme
Court.

The search may have overstepped constitutional boundaries, House leaders said as the congressman under investigation pledged to stay in office. House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio told reporters Tuesday that the Congress will somehow speak to “this issue of the Justice Department's invasion of the legislative branch. In what form, I don't know.” “I've got to believe at the end of the day it's going to end up across the street at the Supreme Court,” Boehner said. Hastert said Monday the Justice Department had never before crossed a line that separates Congress from the executive branch by searching a congressional office while investigating a member of Congress. The search warrant was issued by a federal district judge in suburban Virginia, based on an affidavit from FBI investigators outlining some of the evidence that have accumulated in the case, including video tape of Jefferson accepting $100,000 in $100 bills from an FBI informant, who agreed to have her conversations with the congressman taped. Agents later found all but $10,000 of the cash — in marked bills — hidden in a freezer in one of the congressman's homes, according to the affidavit. His homes in New Orleans and the Washington area were searched by FBI agents last August. AP: Lawmakers Question Legality of Rep. Jefferson Office Search

The only one who comes out remotely sane is Rep. Nancy Pelosi, because at least
she asked Jefferson to resign from Ways and Means.

Why are Republicans insisting the search was unconstitutional? Why do they
want to protect anyone in Congress that might be a crook? Looking after their
own?

It's elitism. It's a we're above the law mentality that has nothing
to do with separation of powers and everything to do with protecting their precious
turf. The FBI got a search warrant for a man they'd been tailing on evidence
that included a crime he committed while being videotaped. Separation of powers
is not the point. Breaking the law, however, is or at least it should be. That
Republican House leaders don't understand this is astounding. That
the Republicans who control the House want to find a way to protect criminals
among them is, unfortunately, business as usual under the Republicans.

Let's not make it the same sorry strategy for Democrats.

According to the document, Jefferson assured the FBI informant in coded conversations that he paid the money to the Nigerian official, even though the money was still in Jefferson's possession when agents searched his home on Aug. 3. On Aug. 1, two days after Jefferson picked up the $100,000, the informant allegedly called Jefferson to ask about the status of “the package.” Jefferson responded: “I gave him the African art that you gave me and he was very pleased.” Feds: Lawmaker Hid Bribe In Freezer Affadavit Says Rep. William Jefferson Accepted $100K From FBI Informant