WASHINGTON, May 26: President George Bush on Thursday intervened in a growing constitutional uproar caused by an unprecedented FBI raid on a lawmaker’s Congress office.

Acknowledging that the problem was a first in US political history, Mr Bush ordered the Justice Department to seal for 45 days documents taken in the raid on the Congress office of a House of Representatives member, that lawmakers said was unconstitutional.

Leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties have condemned the FBI action and said the documents be returned to Congressman William Jefferson, who is suspected of corruption.

The raid was the first of its kind on Congress in the 219-year-history of the US legislature, according to constitutional experts.

Mr Bush admitted: “Our government has not faced such a dilemma in more than two centuries.” He has insisted however that the investigation against Mr Jefferson must go ahead.

“Today I am directing the Department of Justice to seal all the materials recovered from Congressman Jefferson’s office for the next 45 days and not to allow access to anyone involved in the investigation,” Mr Bush said in a statement.

He said the materials would be held by the solicitor general, who is not involved in the Jefferson investigation.

Mr Jefferson is accused of taking bribes for business deals in West Africa. US authorities found $90,000 stuffed in his home freezer, according to court documents released this week.

Mr Bush said there were ‘deeply held views’ about the raid by lawmakers and the investigators.

The extra time ‘will provide both parties more time to resolve the issues in a way that ensures that materials relevant to the ongoing criminal investigation are made available to prosecutors in a manner that respects the interests of a coequal branch of government’.

House speaker Dennis Hastert and Democratic leader Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi said in a joint statement that the raid was ‘unconstitutional’. But they also said Mr Jefferson must cooperate with investigators.

The president gave a similar warning to Mr Jefferson.

“Let me be clear,” he said. “Investigating and prosecuting crime is a crucial executive responsibility that I take seriously. Those who violate the law — including a member of Congress — should and will be held to account. This investigation will go forward, and justice will be served.”—AFP