Washington, D.C.
FBI agents last week raided the Capitol Hill office of Rep. William Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat, looking for evidence implicating him in a bribery investigation. Legal experts said it appeared to be the first time such a police action was carried out on congressional grounds. In an affidavit supporting its court request to search Jefferson’s office, the FBI said it had videotaped him accepting $100,000 from an undercover informant, and that agents had recovered $90,000 a few days later, hidden in Jefferson’s freezer at home. Democrats and Republican lawmakers complained that the raid violated the separation of powers doctrine, since it was carried out by an executive branch agency. Jefferson, who has denied any wrongdoing, called the search an “outrageous intrusion.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why Britain is struggling to stop the ransomware cyberattacksThe Explainer New business models have greatly lowered barriers to entry for criminal hackers
-
Greene’s rebellion: a Maga hardliner turns against TrumpIn the Spotlight The Georgia congresswoman’s independent streak has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by the president
-
Crossword: October 26, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
