The Supreme Court on Monday refused to step into a legal fight between the Justice Department and a member of Congress who has been indicted on bribery charges.
The court declined to review an appeals court ruling that the FBI reviewed 
legislative documents in the office of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., in violation of the Constitution.
Jefferson has pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting more than $500,000 in bribes while using his office to broker business deals in Africa. His trial has been delayed indefinitely.
The ruling "is jeopardizing ongoing public corruption investigations," the Justice Department said in urging the justices to accept its appeal.
If allowed to stand, the ruling also would essentially prevent investigators from searching lawmakers' offices because it requires the FBI to give the lawmakers advance notice, the department said.
"The bottom line is that, if the government cannot search a member's office in the manner authorized by the search warrant here ... the government cannot do so in any meaningful manner and congressional offices may become a 'sanctuary for crime,'" the Justice Department said.
Yet Mukasey said in testimony to Congress that an agreement between lawmakers and his agency would be better than a court-issued "bright-line ruling that one of us can't live with or would find it awkward to live with."
At issue is a constitutional provision known as the speech or debate clause, which protects elected officials from being questioned by the president, a prosecutor or a plaintiff in a lawsuit about their legislative work.
The question for the court was whether the protection also applies to searches.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said it does.
Please someone remind me what Democrats have denounced this guy? Democrats were quick to pounce on the various Republicans for their crimes (inappropriate contact with an aide, "wide stances", etc.)
So, I want to know why there's physical evidence condemning this guy, and yet, Democrats seem to want to sweep this under the rug.
Nancy Pelosi's infinite wisdom allowed her to put this guy in the Homeland Security Committee of all places:
House Republicans plan a formal objection on the House floor to the appointment of Rep. William Jefferson to the Homeland Security Committee.
House Republican Whip Roy Blunt announced the move Wednesday, a day after the House Democratic caucus approved Speaker Nancy Pelosi's appointment of Jefferson to the panel.
The guy is charged with corruption and bribery, and Nancy's idea of getting rid of the "culture of corruption" is to promote someone like that to a committee that has access to CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.
No wonder people look at Democrats in Congress with disdain.
Travis
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