2006年VOA标准英语-Lawmakers Concerned About FBI Search of Co
时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：2006年VOA标准英语（五月）
By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
23 May 2006
An unprecedented 1 search carried out by the FBI in the office of a member of Congress continues to stir controversy 3. Majority Republican leaders in the House of Representatives are outraged 4 by the incident, which involves a bribery-related federal investigation 5 into the activities of a House Democrat 6.
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FBI agents conducted an intensive search last Saturday and Sunday of the Capitol Hill office of Louisiana Congressman 7 William Jefferson.
They were executing a search warrant coinciding with the unsealing of court documents alleging 8 Jefferson accepted bribes 9 in the process of brokering 10 business deals for companies and governments in West Africa.
During the investigation the lawmaker was videotaped taking a briefcase 11 containing $100,000 out of a parked car.
Authorities say they later recovered $90,000 of that money stored in a freezer in his home, money federal officials say matched cash he had received from an FBI informer.
While attention is focused on Congressman Jefferson, who has not yet been formally charged with any crime, controversy is swirling 12 over the methods used by the FBI in searching his office.
House Majority Leader John Boehner didn't mince 13 words when he told reporters in an off-camera briefing he has serious concerns about the search and, in his words, whether people at the Justice Department have looked at the Constitution lately.
Earlier, House Speaker Dennis Hastert issued a statement saying authorities had crossed a line separating Congress from the executive branch by searching a congressional office while investigating a lawmaker, saying he sees constitutional problems.
Congressman Boehner says it would be up to Speaker Hastert to take the lead to protect the interests of the legislative 14 branch of government, predicting that the matter might eventually go to the Supreme 15 Court.
Congressman Jefferson has refused to comment on details of his case, and used a news conference Monday to repeat his contention 16 that he has done nothing wrong, and blasted federal authorities.
William Jefferson
"I think it [the search of his office] represents an outrageous 17 intrusion into the separation of powers between the executive branch and the congressional branch, and no one has seen this in the entire life of the Congress."
Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez has referred to what he calls unusual circumstances in approving the search of Jefferson's office.
He expanded on this Tuesday, saying authorities were unable to get the evidence they needed through the normal subpoena 18 process.
"We worked very hard over a period of time to get the information, the evidence that we felt was important to a criminal investigation," said Mr. Gonzalez. "And at the end of the day, the decision was made that this was absolutely essential to move forward with that investigation."
Gonzalez says his office is taking steps to allay 19 lawmaker's concerns over the basis for the search of the congressional office.
However, those concerns cross party lines. House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi said while members of Congress must obey the law and cooperate fully 20 with any criminal investigation, Justice Department investigations 21 must be conducted in accordance with Constitutional protections and historical precedent 2 so that the government's system of checks and balances is not undermined.
House Democratic leaders have not issued any call for Congressman Jefferson to resign his House seat.
Jefferson and Republican Congressman Bob Ney, are also the subject of an investigation by the House of Representatives ethics 22 committee.
- The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
- A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。
- Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
- This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。
- That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
- We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。
- Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
- He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。
- In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
- He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
- The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
- About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。
- He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
- The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
- His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税，他的名誉受到损害。
- This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯，还说不必，只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。
- It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
- corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏
- Intertwined with these were rivalry, power brokering, and patronage. 然而也不乏有抗争、强权操纵与任命特权交织其中。 来自互联网
- Kingston Quest Can Assist Your Company In Negotiations, Brokering, Agency Services, Sourcing Factories Or Property. 金士顿追求，可帮助您的公司在谈判中，经纪，代理服务，货源工厂或财产。 来自互联网
- He packed a briefcase with what might be required.他把所有可能需要的东西都装进公文包。
- He requested the old man to look after the briefcase.他请求那位老人照看这个公事包。
- Snowflakes were swirling in the air. 天空飘洒着雪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass. 她微笑着，旋动着杯子里的葡萄酒。 来自辞典例句
- Would you like me to mince the meat for you?你要我替你把肉切碎吗？
- Don't mince matters,but speak plainly.不要含糊其词，有话就直说吧。
- Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
- Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
- It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
- He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
- The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
- The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。
- Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
- Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。
- He was brought up to court with a subpoena.他接到传讯，来到法庭上。
- Select committees have the power to subpoena witnesses.特别委员会有权传唤证人。
- The police tried to allay her fears but failed.警察力图减轻她的恐惧，但是没有收到什么效果。
- They are trying to allay public fears about the spread of the disease.他们正竭力减轻公众对这种疾病传播的恐惧。
- The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
- They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
- His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
- He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。