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FBI Saturday Night Raid on Rep. William Jefferson's Office

By Jeralyn, Section
Posted on Sat May 20, 2006 at 08:56:04 PM EST
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The FBI was busy tonight executing a search warrant at the Congressional office of William Jefferson (D-LA).

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement that the unusual raid on a Congressional office began about 7:15 p.m., when agents entered Mr. Jefferson's suite of offices in the Rayburn House Office Building, and was being conducted as part of an "ongoing corruption investigation."

An F.B.I. spokesman told the Times it is the first ever raid of a Congressperson's office. Jefferson's lawyer is angry.

Robert P. Trout, a lawyer for Mr. Jefferson, called the search of the congressman's office "outrageous" in a statement released Saturday evening.

"The government knew that the documents were being appropriately preserved while proper procedures were being followed," the statement said. "We are dismayed by this action -- the documents weren't going anywhere and the prosecutors knew it."

Last year, Jefferson's residences in New Orleans and D.C. were raided. The House, last week, opened ethics inquiries into Jefferson and Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH.)

Jefferson has publicly declared his innocence and says he will not resign even if indicted. CNN's background on the case is here.

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