Speaker Hastert Defends Privacy Rights of William Jefferson

Could someone please explain this:

WASHINGTON (CNN) – House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Tuesday that the FBI and the Justice Department “took the wrong path” when they searched a Democratic congressman’s office this weekend as part of an anti-corruption probe. “We understand that they want to support and pursue the process that the Justice Department is trying to pursue,” Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, said. “But there’s ways to do it, and my opinion is that they took the wrong path.” Over the weekend, The FBI searched the Washington home and office of Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, and found $90,000 of allegedly ill-gotten funds in the freezer of his home, according to an affidavit.

I know the right side of BlogLand went nuts over law enforcement looking into potential wrongdoing by Rush Limbaugh, but the left side of BlogLand has no sympathy for this Democratic Congressman. But the Republican Speaker of the House does? Justin Rood suggests:

After sitting largely silent for more than five years of assaults against citizens’ constitutional rights, our legislators have been moved to protect the Constitution because one of their own – a man who meets contacts in hotel parking lots to accept briefcases full of money, and actually kept $90,000 in cash bundled in his freezer – had his offices searched by the FBI. Methinks the Congress doth protest too much.

Can anyone else provide an alternative explanation that makes any sense? I can’t.

Update: Kevin Drum reminds us:

But at least the FBI got a search warrant signed by a judge. Congress should feel lucky they were treated with such sensitivity.

Update II: Hastert is being investigated by the FBI as well. Meanwhile, Jonah Goldberg is on the record saying:

I think this mess – if it really amounts to a mess – could have been avoided if a more politically savvy AG were at the helm. John Ashcroft, for example, would probably have found a way to raid Jefferson’s office without needlessly ticking off Hill Republicans and giving the press a reason to ignore Democratic corruption in favor of whining about White House arrogance.

That a-boy Jonah – call for the Justice Department to be just another tool of the RNC!