Supreme Court Refuses Appeal of Dollar Bill Jefferson Decision

TPM:

Roll Call reports (sub. req.) that the court has rebuffed the Justice Department's request for an appeal of last summer's decision.

That decision by the D.C. Court of Appeals in Rep. William Jefferson's (D-LA) case found that Constitutional protections meant that the feds could only search a Congressional office if the lawmaker was consulted. The lawmaker would also have the right to review materials. So instead of the feds raiding an office and taking material relevant to the investigation, the court suggested that FBI agents could lock down the office, and then allow the lawmaker to set aside Constitutionally protected documents. A judge would decide whether the records could be taken.