Top US justice officials threaten to quit over seized documents

Washington - Three top US law officials threatened to resign if made to return documents seized in a police raid on a US congressman's office, media reports said Saturday. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, FBI Director Robert Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty all let the White House know they would consider leaving office, according to administration officials quoted in numerous media reports. The message followed a raid last week on the congressional office of Democratic Congressman William Jefferson. FBI agents seized a number of documents relating to a corruption investigation into Jefferson, after receiving a warrant to search his office. But members of both parties in Congress quickly raised strong objections, saying the raid was an infringement of the separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches, and called for the seized documents to be returned. Gonzales made his resignation threat during the week, according to the reports. On Thursday US President George W Bush ordered the evidence taken to be sealed for 45 days to allow time for a compromise to be worked out, averting a crisis temporarily. Many observers viewed the president's order as a rebuke of Gonzales, who personally sanctioned the raid. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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Top US justice officials threaten to quit over seized documents

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