SEPARATION OF POWERS

House Speaker Hastert and Minority Leader Pelosi have complained bitterly about the FBI's search of the offices of Representative William Jefferson. They said that this action was a gross violation of the constitutional principle of separation of powers and demanded return of documents seized.

The constitution provides that members "shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other place."

I don't know what judicial interpretations of this provision have been, but it seems on the face of it that the executive branch was within its rights in investigating an alleged "felony".

JIMMY HOFFA


NEWS ITEM Under heading of No Sign Yet of Hoffa's Body, the NY Times reported:

"DETROIT, May 18 — The Federal Bureau of Investigation, plenty experienced in searching for James R. Hoffa, said a "fairly credible lead" is what led investigators this week to still another potential burial spot: a horse farm aptly named Hidden Dreams."


COMMENT They'll never find the body, not here and not at the Meadowlands. Rumor has it that, in the earliest known case of rendition, Mr. Hoffa was transported
to Iraq. He could be hidden there with the WMDs.

Where is Geraldo when we need him?