And you will recall, that the Republicans had already passed (And suffered under) a rule stating that anyone caught in such a situation would be removed.

Since a member of the House can only be expelled except by a 2/3 majority vote, I don't see how the Republican party could have passed a rule accomplishing the same without a vote.

The Democrats claimed they were going to be even more strict as regards corruption. Apparently, theyn lied... because the first thing they did when this situation came about was to stonewall any action taken against Jefferson.

Let's see:

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/house-approves-speedy-probe-for/20070604133509990001

Jefferson, meanwhile, resigned his seat on the Small Business Committee in response to his indictment on federal charges of taking more than $500,000 in bribes. Democrats already had moved to take that seat from him.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/22/AR2006052201080.html

Pelosi refused to appoint Jefferson to the chairmanship of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee after the 2002 election, and early this month she called for an investigation of his case by the House ethics committee.

And just to stop anyone from claiming this is all liberal media bias:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,236103,00.html

Democrats Keep Rep. Jefferson Off Ways and Means Committee Amid Corruption Probe

House Democrats, insistent that they will hold lawmakers to higher standards, decided Tuesday that Rep. William Jefferson will not return to an influential committee until a federal corruption investigation involving him is completed.

At Pelosi's urging, the House last June stripped Jefferson of his committee assignment because of the corruption investigation that included an FBI document asserting that agents had found $90,000 in bribe money in the Louisiana Democrat's freezer.

Back to you:

And yes, I remember a lot of people complaining about Jefferson's office being searched. Democrats, mostly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/22/AR2006052201080.html

Republican leaders, who previously sought to focus attention on the Jefferson case as a counterpoint to their party's own ethical scandals, said they are disturbed by the raid. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said that he is "very concerned" about the incident and that Senate and House counsels will review it.

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) expressed alarm at the raid. "The actions of the Justice Department in seeking and executing this warrant raise important Constitutional issues that go well beyond the specifics of this case," he said in a lengthy statement released last night.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/22/jefferson/

Both Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert said they were "very concerned" about the search, which was conducted under a warrant issued by a federal judge.

Again, you:

And I wonder how they'll react now that the indictments are in, and that search was validated?

Good question, lets take a look:

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/house-approves-speedy-probe-for/20070604133509990001

The charges against Jefferson, "if proven true, should lead to the expulsion of the member in question," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who earlier ousted Jefferson from the Ways and Means Committee, issued a similar statement Monday.

http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/national.cfm?ArticleID=9606

Pelosi, D-Calif., later Tuesday was expected to name 10 House Democrats to a pool from which the House ethics committee can pick if it decides to appoint a special subcommittee to investigate the charges against Jefferson.

It looks like you'll have to try a little harder to find something to criticize the House Democrats of ethics problems.

Until now, Jefferson had not been charged with doing anything illegal

Can you imagine a republican getting the same deference from the current Congress?

Besides that, this isn't about investigating whether or not he committed a crime, the FBI is doing that part. This is about investigating whether or not he should be expelled from the House.

Correct. And you will recall, that the Republicans had already passed (And suffered under) a rule stating that anyone caught in such a situation would be removed.

The Democrats claimed they were going to be even more strict as regards corruption. Apparently, theyn lied... because the first thing they did when this situation came about was to stonewall any action taken against Jefferson.

And yes, I remember a lot of people complaining about Jefferson's office being searched. Democrats, mostly. Interestingly, the same group of people, mostly, who worked so hard to stifle any investigation of Jefferson at the Congressional level. Gee... I wonder why?

And I wonder how they'll react now that the indictments are in, and that search was validated?

Besides that, this isn't about investigating whether or not he committed a crime, the FBI is doing that part. This is about investigating whether or not he should be expelled from the House. I'm not sure we want to start expelling people from Congress based on crimes they haven't been charged with.

As for Jefferson being a liability to Democrats, I believe more Republicans have been harmed by him so far than Democrats. Remember the outrage when his office was searched by the FBI?

Of course, it should be noted, that the reasoning behind the prevailing view of the body of Congress, is fairly well split between Democrats wanting/needing to cut their losses, and Republicans wanting to apply the consequences of Jefferson's actions and democrat in action about Jefferson, to the forthcoming election.

And of course in a world which measures speed of action by when the investigation actually starts, Pelosi can say she acted quickly, and decisively.

It should also be noted, that while the vote was 373 to 26, that thirteen members voted "present", ffectively voting against the measure to investigate Jefferson. That's 39 members, gang, not 26.

Personally, I'd like Jefferson to stay in office as long as possible. If nothing else, he is effective in the role of a millstone around the necks of congressional Democrats.