So remember back in May, when FBI agents searched Rep. William Jefferson's office in connection with a bribery investigation? An uproar ensued from Members of Congress, who objected to the search on all sorts of grounds? And then President Bush got into the fray and declared the seized documents to be off limits to investigators while Congressional leaders and Department of Justice officials tried to reach an accord. The cooling-off period was for 45 days, which ended on Sunday. However, since the Congressional objections have still not been resolved, the documents are remaining unavailable.
This AP article has all the latest details of the arguments from both Congressional lawyers (and Jefferson's defense) and the DOJ.
I like this tie-in to the Abramoff scandal:
While federal agents had never searched a congressional office before entering Jefferson's, some lawmakers fear the FBI could return to Capitol Hill for searches growing out of the broad corruption investigation linked to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
In the Jefferson case, government lawyers have objected to providing advance notification to the target of the search or his agents and to allowing him access to the scene while the search is taking place.
Lawmakers have said they should have the ability to review documents before deciding whether they can be seized in a search. Justice Department lawyers said members of Congress do not warrant such special treatment.
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