Foley case revisits issue of access to lawmakers' records

[Judi Lynn]

Oct. 10, 2006, 12:38AM
Foley case revisits issue of access to lawmakers' records
Authorities are deciding whether to subpoena data from computers in his home, office

Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON - Five months ago, the FBI touched off a legal and political firestorm when it raided the office of Rep. William J. Jefferson after wads of marked $100 bills were found in the Louisiana Democrat's freezer.

Now, with major questions about that search still unsettled, the right of investigators to gain access to lawmakers' documents and computers is shaping up as a key battleground in the sex scandal probe surrounding former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla.

State and federal investigators are trying to determine whether Foley's Internet exchanges with former House pages constituted a crime. Since opening a preliminary investigation a week ago, they have started interviewing former pages and congressional aides.

Authorities are now deciding whether to subpoena records from the office and home computers that Foley used, according to people who are familiar with the case and who requested anonymity because of the ongoing probe.

Depending on what authorities find, they also may be interested in obtaining records from House leaders and their staffs to determine what they knew about Foley and his relations with pages. Those requests could test a pledge by House leaders including Speaker Dennis Hastert to cooperate fully in the probe.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4247159.html

[Kagemusha]

1. I knew this was coming. Wonder how it'll end.

And I wonder if subpoenas are going to be coming in time for Hastert to publicly slam the doors of Congress in the face of the FBI with an election looming.

[maddezmom]

2. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2553034