Juicy

William Jefferson press conference at 4:30.

Quotes from the presser:

"As you know, there's a criminal investigation going on and my lawyers have advised me not to discuss any of the facts."

"There are two sides to every story. There are certainly two sides to this story."

"I think it represents an outrageous intrusion and an (overstepping) of the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches."

"I will try, if I can, to make some brief response to you but it won't be very much of one because I will not get into the facts."

"I expect to run for re-election, but that's a matter that's down the road."

"I still maintain that(my innocence)."

"I think I have been extraprdinarily effective since the storm came last fall...I think that's been an example of how I'll continue to work with the administration."

"I'm told by people who know better than I do...that there's not been any search...of a Member of Congress' office in the history of Congress and that that's a separation of powers."

Jefferson mentioned that the FBI searched his office, calling it an "outrageous intrusion."

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, I thought to myself, "I wonder how long it takes for this to go from a story about a Dem Congressman with $90,000 in bribes in his freezer to a story about the Bush administration overstepping its bounds by searching a Congressional office."

The answer, on CNN, is about two questions. Seriously, two questions and Wolf Blitzer was onto the Bush angle. Even James Carville looked at him funny and steered the conversation back to Jefferson.

Latch, latch, latch, went the media.