NEW ORLEANS -- The question of why federal agents raided two homes and a vehicle belonging to a Louisiana congressman remains a public mystery.

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The Justice Department has been tight-lipped about the searches carried out Wednesday at the New Orleans and the Washington residences of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, an eight-term Democrat.

Jefferson has retained attorney Mike Fawer, who said Thursday that items seized Wednesday have not been inventoried. He also said his client has not violated any federal law.

There were strong indications that the investigation was being spearheaded from Washington.

U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office referred calls to Justice Department spokesman Bryan Sierra, who would say nothing other than the searches were conducted in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation.

Former U.S. Attorney Harry Rosenberg said there was little doubt that the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Department, which is in charge of conducting criminal investigations involving federal officials, was behind the searches and acting with the approval of high-level agency officials.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Julian Murray agreed.

"This is astounding," he said. "You can't say it's unprecedented, but it certainly is quite a move. I mean, a man's home and his car -- to get any magistrate or judge to issue a search warrant for a United States congressman, you can pretty much imagine there has to have been alot of probable cause would have gone into that."

Jefferson was the first to publicly announce the searches. Through a statement issued by his office just after 4 p.m., he said he did not know the extent or the precise nature of the investigation but was cooperating fully.

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said the news came as a complete surprise to him.

"I was absolutely floored," Nagin said. "Shocked. I never had an inkling that anything like this was going to happen. I have no idea what the federal government is looking at. The congressman is cooperating, and hopefully, this will end up in a good place."

Political analyst Silas Lee said it may be awhile before anything more is known.

"(I'm hearing) nothing new," Lee said. "It's still the same information from yesterday, so we still have to wait for more information from the government about specifically what they're looking for."

Defense attorney Pat Fanning, who has represented several high-profile figures -- including politicians -- offered some advice.

"Congressman Jefferson, in my opinion, needs to get himself a good lawyer and fasten his seat belt, because he's in for a bumpy ride," Fanning said.

Jefferson's office said Thursday that he would have no further comment.