House Moves Against Embattled Jefferson

They are taking the unprecedented step of pushing the expulsion of a member before his conviction. In 2002, the House ousted James A. Traficant (D-Ohio) after he was convicted on bribery and corruption charges. In 1980, the House expelled Michael "Ozzie" Myers (D-Pa.), after he was convicted of taking $50,000 in the Abscam scandal.

Before that, the only other expulsions fell on two House members and a member-elect, all from Missouri, who were ousted on treason charges in 1861, at the outset of the Civil War.

Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-Ohio) took to the floor to decry both motions as a continuation of "the dumbing-down of the House."

"Even members of Congress are entitled to a presumption of innocence," he protested.

But Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said there is nothing precipitous about the GOP's move, because Jefferson has been under a investigative cloud for more than a year -- ever since the Justice Department revealed it had discovered $90,000 bundled in the lawmaker's freezer.

As for the Republicans' protection of DeLay and Ney, he said, "The speaker of the House said we were going to have a different standard in this Congress, and we're trying to establish a different standard with our members, and we're going to help her establish a different standard for her members."

Blunt, however, decried as "outrageous" a 30-month prison sentence that former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby received for perjury.

"After Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham and Bob Ney, I'm very proud my colleagues from the other side of the aisle have finally found their moral voice," said Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.).

Special correspondent Julia Cass in New Orleans contributed to this report.