Federal Agents Raid Office of Special Counsel

By Carrie Johnson and Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Agents from the FBI and the Office of Personnel Management today raided the headquarters of Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch as part of a probe into whether he obstructed justice by having his computer files erased.

Bloch was served with a subpoena to appear before a federal grand jury in Washington, and about 17 other mid- and high-level employees were served as well, according to a source who has seen the subpoenas. About 20 federal agents were seeking a broad range of records at the Office of Special Counsel headquarters at 1730 M Street NW, and the office's e-mail system was shut down during the search, the source added.

Agents also raided Bloch's home in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County, hauling away boxes of files in unmarked cars that pulled up to the residence on Stockade Drive. Agents declined to speak with a reporter, and no one answered the door of the home after the agents left.

James P. Mitchell, a spokesman for the Office of Special Counsel, said the agency is cooperating with the investigation. He said the raid began about 10:30 a.m. and continued into the afternoon.

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