The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to review last August’s decision by a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit regarding the FBI raid on the Washington office of Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.). The appellate court ruled that the raid violated the Speech and Debate Clause of the US Constitution and that Jefferson was entitled to the return of privileged legislative documents. Jefferson was indicted last June on 16 counts including including bribery, racketeering, money laundering and obstruction of justice. His trial is currently delayed while he seeks to suppress certain evidence and statements arising out of the search of his Washington home (earlier). The Washington Post story is here.
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The Washington Post reports here (story by Barry Svrluga and Amy Shipley) on today’s showdown in Congress between pitching great Roger Clemens and his accuser Brian McNamee. The Wall Street Journal also has a good piece here by Allen Barra which helps set the stage, and includes some insightful analysis from Bob Costas, who was interviewed by phone for the piece. Costas looks at Clemens’ career pitching stats, noting that they don’t corroborate McNamee’s allegations. One thing is fairly clear from all the hoopla. Representative Henry Waxman’s goal of using the proceedings to browbeat Clemens is likely to backfire. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s decision to excuse Andy Pettite and Chuck Knoblauch from testifying live also seems dubious to me. I suspect that Waxman wants a rigged game, and that Pettite’s and Knoblauch’s testimony would not have damaged Clemens enough to suit Waxman. Waxman is infamous, even in Washington circles, for his publicity hound stunts. This just in. The Journal runs its first report of McNamee’s actual testimony. The Washington Post is also streaming the testimony live on its website.