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Jefferson’s district director subpoenaed |
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By Susan Crabtree and Mike Soraghan
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Posted: 04/18/07 06:15 PM [ET] |
The district director of Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) has been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in the federal investigation that has been dogging Jefferson since last year.
The district director, Stephanie Butler, notified the Clerk of the House that she has received a subpoena to appear before a grand jury meeting in the Eastern District of Virginia, which is headquartered in Alexandria. Butler’s announcement was read on the floor Wednesday evening.
Subpoenas issued by executive branch agencies, like the Justice Department, must be reported to the House Clerk because of separation of powers and speech-and-debate clause issues. Jefferson has claimed in court that a raid on his office last year was unconstitutional because it trampled on congressional independence.
The subpoena is part of a 16-month international bribery investigation of Jefferson, who allegedly accepted $100,000 from a telecommunications businessman. Of that, $90,000 was later recovered in a freezer in the congressman's D.C. home. |
