Court rules against FBI for raiding Jefferson's congressional office; Lawyer promises to clear indicted Rep.'s name

Michael Roston

Published: Friday August 3, 2007





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A district court ruled that the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2006 raid of the Congressional office of embattled Louisiana Democratic Representative William Jefferson was unconstitutional. The court will also require the FBI to return all privileged materials seized to Jefferson.

"The review of the Congressman's paper files when the search was executed exposed legislative material to the Executive," according to the ruling from the US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit, reports AP's Matt Apuzzo.

Jefferson was indicted in June on 16 counts stemming from a public corruption investigation. He pleaded not guilty on all charges, and his trial is set for January 2008.

The FBI referred all questions to the Justice Department, which had not yet replied at press time.

Jefferson's attorney expressed his satisfaction with the ruling in a statement released to RAW STORY .

"We are pleased with the DC Circuits ruling that the unprecedented search conducted by the FBI violated Congressman Jeffersons rights under the Speech or Debate clause of the United States Constitution," Trout stated. "[T]he court ruled that the Congressman had an absolute right to review his records first and shield privileged legislative material from review by the executive branch."

Trout went on to take a shot at the Justice Department, implying that it had broken the law.

"Todays opinion underscores the fact that the Department of Justice is required to follow the law, and that it is bound to abide by the Constitution," he said.

And, he made it clear that Jefferson had no plan to back down, stating that, "We are confident that as this case moves forward, and when all of the facts are known, we will prevail again and clear Congressman Jeffersons name."



