When Legislative Independence Matters

The case of New Orleans congressman William (“$90,000-in-my-freezer”) Jefferson offers a case study in the abuse of legislative independence from legal inquiry. Jefferson recently won renomination—and easily, too!—and seems assured of a new term in the December election. (The vote was delayed because of the effects of Hurricane Gustav.)

An alarming UK case from a few days ago represents the opposite extreme from the Jefferson affair. Tory MP (and Shadow Immigration Minister) Damian Green was arrested for aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office. Nine police officers—including members of the counter-terrorism unit—raided his house. As occurred with Jefferson, Green’s official office was searched by police, who called his office a “crime scene.”

Green’s offense, however, differed considerably from Jefferson’s: he allegedly received and disseminated leaked documents related to PM Gordon Brown’s economic plans. Legal experts expressed strong doubt that the charges would stand—but the chilling effect of the act nonetheless remains.

One Times columnist wondered if New Labour would now change its name to ZANU-Labour. Conservative leader David Cameron called the arrest “Stalinesque.” That’s an overstatement—but the move was clearly an abuse of legislative independence, quite unlike the Jefferson fiasco.