GOP demands return of docs taken from Dem Jefferson's office

I'm not sure what to think about claims that "separation of powers" would prohibit an otherwise lawful search of a U.S. House member's office, but I am impressed (but not surprised--we're not moral relativists, after all) that the GOP is being principled rather than partisan about the issue.

Update: Sen. Bill Frist says he backs the FBI's search of the congressman's office. I think I'm going to side with Frist on this one; "arresting" a congressman to keep him from voting (or whatever) is different from searching his office. Here's the law at issue, the "speech and debate" protections in Article 1, Section 6 of the Constitution:

That section states that members of Congress "shall in all cases, except treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place."