THAT’S DEBATABLE:Congress isn’t above the law

A grand jury this week indicted Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) on federal charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering as part of an investigation into business deals he had in Africa. In May 2006 when the FBI raided Jefferson’s congressional office a debate ensued about the constitutionality of the raid. Do you think the executive branch should have the right to seize evidence from a lawmaker’s office?

The executive branch needs to go through the procedures that will guarantee the rights of not only the individual member of Congress but that of the legislative branch so that we do not see an abuse of this power.

REP. DANA ROHRABACHER

Members of Congress are not above the law, and their offices are not sanctuaries for criminal activity. If the Justice Department has substantive evidence that a lawmaker has committed a crime, and a judge has signed off on a search warrant, then it’s perfectly within bounds for federal law enforcement officials to seize evidence from a member’s office. There are no sacred cows in our justice system, and members of Congress ought to be held to the same legal scrutiny as all other Americans.

REP. JOHN CAMPBELL