Louisiana Democrat Rep. William Jefferson said today that there are two sides to every story. In response, I checked my freezer and determined that a freak interdimensional wormhole had not been created by the frozen chicken and the hamburger patties had not been replaced by $90,000 wrapped in aluminum foil.

Officials on both sides of the aisle complained yesterday about the FBI's weekend raid on Jefferson's Capitol Hill office.

Republican leaders, who previously sought to focus attention on the Jefferson case as a counterpoint to their party's own ethical scandals, said they are disturbed by the raid. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said that he is "very concerned" about the incident and that Senate and House counsels will review it.

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) expressed alarm at the raid. "The actions of the Justice Department in seeking and executing this warrant raise important Constitutional issues that go well beyond the specifics of this case," he said in a lengthy statement released last night.

"Insofar as I am aware, since the founding of our Republic 219 years ago, the Justice Department has never found it necessary to do what it did Saturday night, crossing this Separation of Powers line, in order to successfully prosecute corruption by Members of Congress," he said. "Nothing I have learned in the last 48 hours leads me to believe that there was any necessity to change the precedent established over those 219 years."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement that "members of Congress must obey the law and cooperate fully with any criminal investigation" but that "Justice Department investigations must be conducted in accordance with Constitutional protections and historical precedent."

I understand the concern caused by having the executive branch raiding the offices of legislative branch officials -- whether on Captiol Hill or in their home districts. However, members of Congress would be well-advised to stop posturing and sit down with the Justice Department to find a method which will be acceptable to both sides for executing searches in the course of public corruption investigations. The offices of members of Congress should not be an impenetrable safe haven for politicians on the take.

Congress would also have a stronger bargaining position if they did a better job of policing themselves. If it had been left to Congress, then Randy "Duke" Cunningham would still be my representative.