House Leaders Face Down Dissent in Ranks over Jefferson Raid More signs of a spreading breakdown of order in the House: leaders are losing face, big time. House Republicans are publicly grumbling about Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (IL) opposition to the FBI raid of cold-storage expert Rep. William Jefferson’s (D-LA) office. He’s made the party look like it’s protecting its own rear, not the Constitution, some say. Meanwhile, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has reportedly been forced to swallow a squishy compromise with the Congressional Black Caucus — she will refrain from calling on Jefferson to resign his Ways and Means committee seat, and the CBC will stop criticizing her for attacking one of its members. (Roll Call, Roll Call)Frist dismisses office search controversy Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday he had talked the issue over with Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and concluded that the FBI acted appropriately. “I don’t think it abused separation of powers,” Frist said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I think there’s allegations of criminal activity, and the American people need to have the law enforced.” (AP)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=183244