I'm not convinced it'll ever end. On the heels of US District Judge Thomas Hogan's ruling that the FBI's raid on Rep. William Jefferson's (D-LA) Congressional office was legal, Jefferson and his defense team have filed a motion to stay the ruling pending appeal.
Hogan hasn't said when he'll decide; the point of the motion is to keep the records sealed so that the Justice Department, which is investigating Jefferson on bribery charges, cannot see or use them before all appeals are exhausted. If he rejects their motion, they can ask the District Court panel that will hear the appeal to keep the records sealed.
Jefferson's attorneys, along with several prominent Members of Congress, say the raid and seizure was in violation of federal separation of powers. Jefferson maintains his innocence, and indeed has not actually been charged with anything yet. Timing is important in this case, as Jefferson has declared his intention to run for re-election in November.
Aside from this non-development, the Birmingham News has a good editorial commending Hogan for his ruling. On the subject of Jefferson's argument that the search violated the "Speech or Dbate Clause Privilege" that protects Members' "legitimate legislative acts:"
Taking a bribe, however, is not a "legitimate legislative act," no matter how common it might be.
As Hogan noted, the Speech or Debate Clause doesn't make members of Congress "super-citizens, immune from criminal responsibility." Like members of the co-equal executive and judicial branches, members of Congress are not above the law.
You'd think they wouldn't need a court ruling to tell them that, wouldn't you?
