Lost in all of the brouhaha over the fired US attorneys is the dog that didn't bark.
We all know about the prosecutions US Attorneys were pressured into accelerating, or charges they were tasked with bringing against Democrats in the last election cycle.
We also know about how the Justice Department hampered investigations into Republicans that might prove to be politically damaging.
But how do you explain the failure to indict Representative William Jefferson (D-LA)?
The Democrats tried dealing with the problem internally, by stripping him of his committee assignment to Ways and Means last year. Then, they actively recruited someone to run against him in the primary, and the party supported his opponent in the run-off election.
But he was-elected anyway.
Now, Speaker Pelosi is caught in a bind on Jefferson. Becuase he hasn't been formally charged with anything, she can't move to expel him from Congress.
On the other hand, despite her pledge to do so, she cannot seat Jefferson on the Homeland Security Committee because the Republicans are threatening to call a roll call vote, which would surely doom his appointment.
In addition to the headache this poses to Nancy Pelosi, there is the impact a well-timed indictment may have on the Lousiana Governors race this November.
I am sure the Republicans are hoping that Jefferson endorses presumptive Democratic nominee John Breaux before he's indicted. And, Breaux can't afford to alienate voters in New Orleans -- who just reelected Jefferson despite his troubles.[Breaux endorsed Jefferson's opponent in the run-off]
GOP Gubernatorial nominee, Bobby Jindal would love to attack Breaux over any Jefferson endorsement.
As would whoever runs against Mary Landrieu! She is, by all accounts,the most vulnerable Democratic incumbant next year. And she has little margin for error in the Lousiana black community at this point. So she is almot forced to deal with Jefferson.