robliberal.com » 2005

May 30 2005

White House Researching Potential Justices phot…

White House Researching Potential Justices photo
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House has laid the groundwork to place more conservatives on the Supreme Court, scrutinizing the backgrounds and legal views of a shrinking list of candidates amid speculation that ailing Chief Justice William Rehnquist soon will step down. Keenly aware that a chapter…

Socialist Leads U.S. Senate Race in Vt. BARRE, Vt. (AP) – Bernie Sanders jabs at the air, his flushed face a sharp contrast to his unruly white hair. Yet again, he pummels Washington, the Congress and the president. “The government that we have today in the White House, the House of Representatives with Tom Delay, the Senate with Bill…
Brown Sells Home to Be Used As Shelter photo OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Mayor Jerry Brown has angered some of his neighbors by selling his multimillion-dollar home to a group that wants to make it into a homeless shelter. The two-time governor and three-time presidential candidate’s 7,000-square-foot warehouse home is in Jack London Square,…
Newsview: Bush’s Global Clout Seen Growing photo WASHINGTON (AP) – In the rarified club of world leaders, President Bush has taken his share of lumps. Critics have railed against his handling of Iraq, his perceived disdain for the United Nations and what they say is a swaggering approach to foreign policy. But Bush probably would not want to…
Judicial Nominees Compromise Was Hard-Won photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The signatures of 14 Senate centrists, seven from each party, spilled across the last page of a hard-won compromise on President Bush’s judicial nominees. But whatever elation the negotiators felt, the Senate’s Democratic leader did not share it. In the privacy of his Capitol…
Bush Honors War Dead in Radio Address photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush is marking this Memorial Day weekend with words honoring men and women who have died in the nation’s service to provide freedom for Americans today. “Our citizens live in freedom because patriots are willing to serve and sacrifice for our liberty,” Bush said…
Tenn. State Senator Resigns After Arrest photo NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – State Sen. John Ford, a member of one of Tennessee’s most powerful political families, has resigned after being placed under house arrest facing charges from a two-year FBI sting, the lieutenant governor said Saturday. Ford announced his resignation in a letter Lt. Gov….
Texas Lawmakers OK Life Without Parole Bill photo AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A bill that would give jurors in the No. 1 death penalty state the option of sentencing murderers to life in prison without parole is headed to the governor’s desk. The state Senate on Saturday approved the measure on a 25-6 vote. Republican Gov. Rick Perry has said the issue…
NYC Mayoral Candidates Learning Spanish photo NEW YORK (AP) – When you’re running for mayor, it helps to be a smooth talker. And this year, candidates are having to work a little harder at it. The competition for New York’s Latino voters is so fierce among Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the four Democrats vying to unseat him that most of the…
Path Cleared for Rehnquist’s Retirement photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist may feel freer to step down with the Senate judicial standoff muted and the Supreme Court weeks away from the end of its term. A compromise forged by centrist senators on Monday averted a showdown over President Bush’s judge nominees and the…
Ill. Lawmakers Vote on Video Game Sales Ban SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Lawmakers voted Saturday to ban the sale of violent or sexually explicit video games to minors in Illinois, a move other states and cities have tried but federal courts have repeatedly struck down. The measure now goes to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who proposed the…

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Rice: Bolton Deserves Confirmation SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged Friday that John R. Bolton has “rough edges” but said it was time for the Senate to approve his nomination to be U.N. ambassador so he can promote needed reform. A day after Democrats forced the Republican-run Senate to delay a…
Former Aide to Sen. Clinton Acquitted photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – The former national finance director for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate campaign was acquitted Friday of lying to the government about a lavish 2000 Hollywood fundraising gala. David Rosen was charged with two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission…
Ohio Official Resigns Amid Coin Scandal photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The director of Ohio’s workers’ compensation bureau resigned under pressure Friday over the disappearance of at least $10 million worth of rare coins that the agency had bought as an investment. Gov. Bob Taft announced the departure of James Conrad, once hailed as state…
Money Wasted on Unneeded Bases, Bush Says photo ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Speaking out for the first time in favor of controversial base closings, President Bush said Friday the nation is wasting billions of dollars on unnecessary military facilities and needs the money for the war on terrorism. Bush, who faces opposition from many states to…
Dems Accuse GOP of Failing to Back Troops WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans are accused of failing to support National Guard and Reserve troops in an advertising campaign the House Democratic campaign committee is rolling out this weekend. Timed for Memorial Day, radio commercials paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign…
Corzine Says He’s Not Running From D.C. photo BELLEVILLE, N.J. (AP) – Sen. Jon Corzine, candidate for governor of New Jersey, was waiting to be introduced to a crowd of 200-plus Democrats recently when the speaker said something that made him cringe. “I know he’s having a difficult time in Washington, being the minority in an unsympathetic…
N.Y. Court Rules Mayor Will Face Trial photo ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – The village mayor who challenged New York law by attempting to marry gay couples last year will face trial, the state’s highest court ruled Friday. Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, the high court there rejected a Roman Catholic activist’s bid to halt gay marriages in that state…
Microsoft Severs Ties With Lobbyist Reed SEATTLE (AP) – Microsoft Corp. said Friday it has severed ties with Ralph Reed, a conservative Republican lobbyist who once headed the Christian Coalition and is now running for lieutenant governor of Georgia. “It would not be appropriate to have a consultant on retainer that is seeking elective…
Tenn. Lawmaker Placed Under House Arrest photo MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – A judge ordered that a state senator be placed under house arrest Friday over the objections of prosecutors, who played a video of the lawmaker watching an undercover agent count out $10,000 and an audiotape of him threatening a potential witness. The tapes were played at a…
Sen. Hutchison of Texas Plots Next Move photo WASHINGTON (AP) – In a Texas-size political chess game, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is playing the role of queen. She plans to announce this summer whether she’ll try to hold her Senate seat in 2006 or challenge fellow Republican Rick Perry for Texas governor. In the meantime, a long line of

Senate Committee Advances Energy Bill WASHINGTON (AP) – Governors, mayors and local officials would have little chance to block construction of a liquefied natural gas facility under an energy bill that advanced Thursday from a Senate committee. A provision in the bill would give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission exclusive…
Dem Lawmakers Refuse Medicaid Commission WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic lawmakers said Thursday that they would not participate on a commission that will recommend how to trim Medicaid by $10 billion over the next five years. Michael Leavitt, the secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, announced last week the framework of…
Reid: Deal Could Bring Bipartisanship photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid accused President Bush and congressional Republicans of bending to “the whispered wishes of a few right wing activists,” yet said this week’s compromise over filibuster rules could portend a new era of bipartisanship. “Americans are sick and…
Judge Rules Against DeLay Group Official AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The treasurer of a political action committee formed by U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay broke the law by not reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, a judge ruled Thursday in a lawsuit brought by Democratic candidates. State District Judge…
Senate Panel OKs Asbestos Trust Fund Bill WASHINGTON (AP) – Manufacturers and insurance companies would be shielded from multimillion-dollar lawsuits from people with asbestos-related diseases in exchange for funding a $140 billion trust fund under legislation that has cleared its first hurdle. Supporters claim a fund like the one the…
Congress Examines Nonprofit Hospitals WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress should review tax exemptions for nonprofit hospitals to determine whether the community benefit justifies the expense, the chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee said Thursday. “We really can’t tell the difference, all that much, between a for-profit…
Senators Press for Base-Closure Data photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators scrambling to head off proposed military base closings in their states are pressing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to release all the data used to decide which facilities to shut down. Nearly two dozen senators from Maine to Nevada signed a letter to Rumsfeld,…
Dems, Jackson to Pay $200,000 in Fines WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democratic Party, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and two groups associated with the civil rights activist have agreed to pay a total of $200,000 in civil fines for campaign finance violations in the 2000 elections. At issue in the Federal Election Commission case was about $450,000…
Two Bush Nominees Get Panel’s Quick OK photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Two of President Bush’s blocked judicial nominees, cleared for confirmation by this week’s Senate compromise on filibusters, gained quick approval Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The nominations of Richard Griffin and David McKeague for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of…
Tenn. Lawmakers Charged in Bribery Scam photo NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Four state lawmakers, including a member of one of Tennessee’s most powerful political families, were indicted Thursday on charges of taking bribes from FBI agents posing as representatives of an electronics-recycling company. In a sting operation dubbed “Tennessee Waltz

Reid Wants Swift Vote on Stem Cell Bill photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called Wednesday for a swift vote in the Senate on legislation to expand federal support of embryonic stem cell research, and he criticized President Bush for opposing the measure. Several Senate Republicans later took up the call as Bush…
Voters Group: Fla. Audit Shows Problems MIAMI (AP) – A voters’ rights group said Wednesday its audit of November’s presidential election ballots in Miami-Dade County showed counting problems – and an unintentional but worrisome instance of a number of votes being counted three times. A report released by the Miami-Dade Election Reform…
GOP Confident Bolton Will Get U.N. Post photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans said Wednesday they are confident John R. Bolton can win Senate confirmation as United Nations ambassador this week despite long-running Democratic efforts to depict Bolton as a bully and conservative ideologue. The Senate began debating Bolton’s fitness to be the top…
Ill Sen. Specter Backs Stem Cell Research photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Arlen Specter, newly bald from chemotherapy treatments for Hodgkin’s disease, held himself up on Wednesday as Exhibit A for the possible benefits of embryonic stem cell research. A day after the House voted to overturn President Bush’s prohibition on federal funding for…
Dems Want Illegal Business Crackdown photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Several Senate Democrats said Wednesday the government should crack down on businesses that evade taxes before Congress considers Social Security or tax changes. “We should not cut the benefits of any law-abiding retiree by one dime or raise the taxes of any law-abiding worker by…
Gov. Bush OKs Fla. Abortion Disclosure TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Gov. Jeb Bush signed a bill Wednesday that requires physicians to tell Florida parents when a minor daughter seeks an abortion. Bush signed a similar bill into law in 1999 but the courts blocked it, finding it violated the privacy provision in the Florida Constitution. But…
Clinton Fundraiser Admits Bad Judgment photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – The former national finance director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton testified Wednesday that he may have used bad judgment when he failed to report that a campaign donor paid his $10,000 Beverly Hills hotel bill and let him use a Porsche. But David Rosen said he never tried to…
Democrats Use the Internet for Hearings WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrats in Congress have found a new venue for unofficial hearings – the Internet. “As far as we know, this is the first time that a committee staff has used the Internet for a forum like this,” said Thomas Kiley, a spokesman for Rep. George Miller, the top Democrat on the…
Supervisor Testifies in Governor Dispute photo WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – The mail ballot supervisor in Washington state’s most populous county testified Wednesday she raised concerns about the county’s inability to track ballots months before last year’s disputed governor’s race. The supervisor, Nicole Way, said she repeatedly told her bosses as…
Schwarzenegger Slams Lawmaker Pay Increase photo SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped up his attack on the Democrat-controlled Legislature on Wednesday, chiding lawmakers for accepting a pay raise despite the state’s fiscal problems. “Isn’t that interesting?” the Republican said in a speech to the California Chamber of…

Senate Clears Way for Owen’s Confirmation photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Breaking years of gridlock, the Senate on Tuesday cleared the way for confirmation of Priscilla Owen to the U.S. appeals court amid fresh debate over an ambiguous compromise on President Bush’s current and future judicial nominees. “I appreciate the fact I’m finally going to get…
Dean: Blacks Annoyed by Party’s Outreach photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Black voters are upset with the Democratic Party for coming around just weeks before elections seeking their votes, party chairman Howard Dean said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. Taking black voters for granted is a long-standing problem for the party that…
Senators Who Engineered Deal Aim for Trust photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The lawmakers who pulled the Senate away from its filibuster fight said Tuesday that they’re not moderates, they’re politicians of all stripes determined to build trust amid intense political rancor. “It means that Republicans, Democrats have to talk. It means we can’t let…
Voinovich Asks Senators to Reject Bolton photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The maverick Republican who denied President Bush’s U.N. nominee a smooth sail through the GOP-led Senate asked colleagues Tuesday to vote against a “controversial and ineffective ambassador.” The Senate is expected to vote on John R. Bolton’s nomination before leaving for a…
Special Interest Groups Lose on Filibuster photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The right got winged, liberals lost and Republican Leader Bill Frist had his Senate powers hijacked. The agreement to allow yes-or-no votes on some of President Bush’s stalled judicial nominations produced other losers, a few winners – and many in-betweens. Did the president come…
New Allegations Surface Vs. Spokane Mayor SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – New allegations of misconduct surfaced Tuesday against Mayor James West, who has rejected demands for his resignation amid allegations he offered city jobs to men he met in gay online chat rooms. According to The Spokesman-Review, state Sen. Pam Roach said when West served in…
Bush Addresses GOP Social Security Split photo GREECE, N.Y. (AP) – President Bush, facing an uphill battle on Social Security in Congress, worked Tuesday to persuade moderate Republicans to resist pressure from constituents and support his ideas for changing the nation’s retirement system. “I fully recognize some in Washington, you know, don’t…
Clinton Fundraiser Says He Never Hid Costs photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – A former fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton accused of lying to regulators about a lavish Hollywood party testified Tuesday that he relied on others to oversee the event’s costs and never told anyone to alter or hide the price tag. “I would never do that,” David Rosen…
Fla. Councilman of Coin-Toss Fame Dies GROVELAND, Fla. (AP) – City Councilman G.P. Sloan, who made national news when elected last fall on a coin toss that broke an electoral tie, has died at 77. Sloan died Monday after a long struggle with blood and other health problems, family and friends said. He and Richard Flynn each received 689…
Wash. Judge Allows GOP Charges of Fraud photo WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – A top King County elections official on Tuesday denied knowing about an absentee ballot report allegedly falsified by county workers while counting ballots in the 2004 governor’s election. Elections Superintendent Bill Huennekens, testifying in a challenge to Washington…

Senators No Longer Scrambling for Cots photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Maybe the cots helped break the standoff. Capitol custodians noisily wheeled a half-dozen cots in the north door of the building just as the Senate was being gaveled into session for a planned all-night debate on the rights of the minority to filibuster judicial nominations….
Court Taking Up Abortion Notification photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court said Monday it would take up a new abortion case this fall, raising the political stakes just as the court faces the possibility of replacing ailing Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. The justices, in agreeing to review a parental notification law from New…
Bush Rebuffs Karzai’s Request on Troops photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai left the White House on Monday with no promise of more control over thousands of American troops in his country and with strains in his relationship with the United States on full display. Despite a chummy side-by-side news conference with President…
Spokane Mayor Apologizes, but Won’t Resign photo SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – Mayor Jim West on Monday apologized for using “poor judgment in my private life,” but rejected a demand by local business leaders to resign amid allegations that he offered city jobs to men he met in gay online chat rooms. West, 55, didn’t elaborate or take questions at his…
Agreement Opens Way for Some, Not Others photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Priscilla Owen appeared to be the immediate winner in the congressional compromise that cleared the way for Senate confirmation of some of President Bush’s judicial appointments. Owen and the other winners, who will get votes: _Owen, a justice on the Texas Supreme Court,…
Ex-FBI Whistle-Blower Mulls Congress Bid photo WASHINGTON (AP) – A former FBI whistle-blower who urged the agency to investigate terrorism suspect Zacarias Moussaoui in the weeks before Sept. 11, 2001, is considering a race for Congress in Minnesota. Coleen Rowley told The Associated Press on Monday she will make a decision by early next month…
Stakes Still High After Senate Makes Deal photo WASHINGTON (AP) – An eleventh-hour deal did little to diminish the political implications of the Senate’s up-to-the-brink confrontation over President Bush’s judicial nominations. It’s still about the shape of the Supreme Court, the midterm election in 2006, the next presidential race and the…
Freshman Sen. Salazar in Thick of Talks photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Freshman senators typically are seen but not heard. They devote their first few months in office to figuring out how the Senate operates and finding their way around the Capitol. Rarely do these first-termers participate in negotiations on an issue as important as the future of…
GOP Alleges Fraud in Washington Gov. Vote photo WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – A trial to determine whether the results of Washington state’s gubernatorial election last fall should be thrown out opened Monday with Republicans charging Democrats “stole” the contest for Christine Gregoire, who won by 129 votes out of 2.9 million cast. The GOP wants…
Prominent DA May Take on Sen. Clinton WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) – Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Monday she will seek statewide office in 2006, possibly by running for the U.S. Senate against Hillary Rodham Clinton. Pirro said she will decide later this year which office to seek, and mentioned three…

U.N. Official Calls U.S. ‘Ungainly Giant’ NEW YORK (AP) – Secretary General Kofi Annan’s chief of staff called the United States an “ungainly giant” that only plays by its own rules, criticizing the U.N.’s largest donor in unusually strong terms Sunday. Mark Malloch Brown said the U.S. contributed most to the development of international…
Giuliani Gives Graduation Speech in Vt. photo MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (AP) – Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani delivered the commencement address Sunday at a school where his selection as graduation speaker touched off angry debate and led to the resignation of the student newspaper’s editor after the paper ran a photo likening Giuliani to…
Property Taxes Questioned As Prices Zoom Soaring property taxes are a top worry in state legislatures across the country, where lawmakers are trying to appease disgruntled homeowners and, in some cases, courts that are demanding change in the system so schools are more equitably funded. Some states are weighing plans to lower taxes….
Senators Aim to Avert Filibuster Showdown photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators trying to broker a compromise on judicial filibusters said Sunday an agreement was possible ahead of a critical vote this week set by majority Republicans to break the logjam on President Bush’s nominees. Two senators leading talks among the dozen or so lawmakers who…
Young Slowly Entering Social Security Fray WASHINGTON (AP) – Despite their sizable stake in the outcome, America’s young people largely have been absent from the debate about the future of Social Security. That is beginning to change as Congress gets more involved in legislation to overhaul the federal retirement program. Student…
Alternative Minimum Tax Repeal Sought photo WASHINGTON (AP) – It was intended to catch wealthy tax dodgers, but instead has crept closer to the middle class over the years. So a bipartisan group of senators wants to eliminate the alternative minimum tax even though it would deprive the government of billions of dollars in revenue. Four…
Judge in Wash. Election Case Called Fair photo WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – Prosecutors, attorneys and state officials agree that the judge who will decide whether to nullify the 2004 Washington governor’s election is hardworking and fair. But even in the small town where he grew up, Chelan County Superior Court Judge John E. Bridges remains a bit…
Beatty Won’t Rule Out Run for Calif. Gov. BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) – Warren Beatty says he isn’t ruling out running for governor of California, and thinks he could do a better job than Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I don’t think anyone should ever rule public service out,” Beatty said. “It’s a way of saying, ‘Take me out of the mix and don’t…
Wash. Election Battle Heads for Courtroom photo WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – In a nondescript courtroom in this small farming town, America’s electoral system is about to stand trial. The battle over Washington’s contested governor’s election touches on many of the questions that divide this country between rural and urban, Republican and Democrat,…
Poll: Daley’s Approval at 16-Year Low CHICAGO (AP) – Allegations of corruption at City Hall have sent Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s job approval rating to its lowest level since he became mayor in 1989, according to a new poll. Only 53 percent of the registered voters polled said they approved of the job Daley was doing and less than…

Poll: Most Want Thorough Check of Judges photo WASHINGTON (AP) – About four in five Americans want the Senate to thoroughly examine the president’s nominees to be federal judges – an attitude shared by a majority of Democrats, Republicans and independents questioned in a new poll. The rest say those nominees should get the benefit of the doubt…
Wash. Election Battle Heads for Courtroom WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – In a nondescript courtroom in this small farming town, America’s electoral system is about to stand trial. The battle over Washington’s contested governor’s election touches on many of the questions that divide this country between rural and urban, Republican and Democrat,…
Poll: Daley’s Approval at 16-Year Low CHICAGO (AP) – Allegations of corruption at City Hall have sent Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s job approval rating to its lowest level since he became mayor in 1989, according to a new poll. Only 53 percent of the registered voters polled said they approved of the job Daley was doing and less than…
Laura Bush Pushes Mideast Women’s Rights photo SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan (AP) – Women need to have more prominence in government and business in the Middle East, Laura Bush said Saturday in a bold appeal to an international audience that included some of the ministers and other men who hold political and economic power in the region. America’s…
Newsview: Senate Torn Over Loyalties photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate is torn between confrontation and compromise when it comes to President Bush’s judicial nominees and its own filibuster rules, the tug of party loyalty up against high-minded talk of the Constitution and trust among senators. Whatever the outcome, the future makeup of…
Bush Condemns S. Korea Stem Cell Advances photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush has condemned stem cell research advances in South Korea and said he worried about living in a world in which human cloning was condoned. He said he would veto any legislation aimed at loosening limits on federal support in the United States. “I’m very concerned…
Democrat Urges Young to Oppose Bush Plan MIAMI (AP) – Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., appealed to young taxpayers Saturday to oppose President Bush’s plan to partially privatize Social Security, saying they had to the most to lose from the change. Meek delivered the Democrats’ weekly radio address two days after Bush finished a nationwide…
Bush Lauds Progress in Terrorism Fight WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush says the United States is making strides in defeating terrorists and advancing freedom across the world, even as anti-American protests escalate in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Terrorists know that there is no room for them as freedom takes root in the broader Middle…
Gay Marriage Ban to Go Before Texas Voters photo AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The Texas Senate approved a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage with a 21-8 vote Saturday, sending the issue to voters. Last month, the House narrowly passed the proposal, which would define marriage as between one man and one woman. State law already prohibits…
Civil Rights Groups Sue Over OAS Protest FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Civil rights groups have sued Fort Lauderdale and Broward County over an ordinance that would restrict protests at next month’s Organization of American States meeting, saying it stifles free speech. The lawsuit filed Friday in federal court seeks to overturn the city…

Dean Still Says DeLay May Deserve Jail WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean, who famously refused to prejudge Osama bin Laden’s guilt, is standing by his judgment that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay may deserve jail time for allegations of corruption. “Tom DeLay is corrupt. No question about it,” Dean said Friday….
Bush Vows to Veto Stem Cell Legislation photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Friday condemned stem cell research advances in South Korea and said he worried about living in a world in which human cloning was condoned. He said he would veto any legislation aimed at loosening limits on federal support in the United States. “I’m very…
Bush Committed to Private Accounts Plan photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush remains committed to overhauling Social Security with private investment accounts funded with payroll taxes, a spokesman says, despite suggestions from an investment executive – an administration favorite – that the idea should be dropped. Bob Pozen, whose concept…
Schwarzenegger Begins Fundraising Journey photo TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has embarked on a multistate fundraising swing to collect some of the estimated $50 million his advisers say he will need to wage a special election campaign in his own state. Schwarzenegger’s first scheduled stop was to be Tampa on…
Ariz. Gov. Vetoes Two Immigration Bills PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed two proposals Friday aimed at confronting the state’s immigration problems, rejecting bills that would have prohibited illegal immigrants from receiving child care assistance and given police the power to enforce federal immigration laws. The…
First Lady: Bush Should’ve Been Notified photo AMMAN, Jordan (AP) – Laura Bush is showing her independent side and contradicting the White House. Newsweek magazine should not be solely blamed for deadly protests in the Middle East, the first lady said Friday. And her husband should have been interrupted to be told about an airplane scare that…
Strom Thurmond’s Daughter Tours Statehouse photo COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Essie Mae Washington Williams stood Friday at the feet of a statue of her larger-than-life father, Sen. Strom Thurmond, who never publicly acknowledged her even though rumors followed him to his grave. After Thurmond’s death in 2003 at age 100, Williams came forward to say…
Poll: Most Want Assertive Senate on Judges photo WASHINGTON (AP) – More than three-quarters of Americans say the Senate should aggressively examine federal judicial nominees and not just approve them because they are the president’s choices. That’s one of the few aspects of this divisive issue that gets widespread agreement, according to an…
U.S. Considers Sending N. Korea Food Aid WASHINGTON (AP) – The Bush administration is weighing North Korea’s needs against hunger in other countries as it decides whether to provide food assistance this year to the economically lagging communist nation, the State Department said Friday. The Bush administration and North Korea are at odds…
Package Prompts Evacuation of N.M. Capitol photo SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) – The state Capitol was evacuated Friday after the governor’s office received a package containing an unknown white powder and a threatening letter. “It’s most likely a hoax, but we’re taking every necessary precaution,” Gov. Bill Richardson, one of those evacuated, said at a…

Bush Touts Social Security Plan in Wis. photo MILWAUKEE (AP) – President Bush marshaled a group of supportive young adults on Thursday to help him sell lawmakers on action he says would save Social Security for future generations. Bush wants Congress to let younger retirees begin to divert some of their payroll taxes into private investment…
Stem Cell Debate Splits House Republicans photo WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republican leaders are throwing their weight behind a bill to encourage stem cell research that uses blood from umbilical cords. The measure offers an alternative to spending government money for research that would destroy human embryos. House Speaker Dennis Hastert,…
Sen. Kennedy Kin on Stand in Clinton Case photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – A brother-in-law of Sen. Edward Kennedy testified in federal court Thursday against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s former national finance director, who is accused of lying to regulators about the cost of a lavish Hollywood fundraiser. Raymond Reggie, a prominent political…
Bush to Attend G-8 Summit in Scotland photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will attend the July 6-8 meetings of the world’s major industrial democracies in Gleneagles, Scotland. The White House said Bush would join leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom to discuss economic, political and security…
LA Hispanic Votes Key to Villaraigosa Win photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – Antonio Villaraigosa was elected mayor with record Hispanic turnout, but his decisive victory over Mayor James Hahn saw him claim significant support across a wide range of demographic and geographic groups, an exit poll found. The Los Angeles Times poll found that Hispanics…
Md. Governor Removes Appointee Over Slur ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Gov. Robert Ehrlich on Thursday removed the chairman of a judicial nominating committee who came under fire for using the term “wetbacks” in a Web log posting. Ehrlich said he had “monumental concerns” about postings on the politically conservative Web site of William G….
Jeb Bush Builds on GOP Base As Fla. Gov. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – No, Gov. Jeb Bush didn’t get his way this spring on class size or Terri Schiavo. But even his political foes admit he has had a remarkably effective run over the past seven years if he ever wants to follow his father and his brother into the White House. He created the…
Ohio Court Won’t Punish Lawyers Over Vote COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ending one of the last fights from the contentious 2004 presidential campaign, Ohio’s top judge on Thursday declined to punish four attorneys who had challenged the results in court. Chief Justice Thomas Moyer ruled against Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro’s attempt to have…
Republican Eyes Office of San Diego Mayor SAN DIEGO (AP) – A wealthy Republican businessman on Thursday entered the race for mayor of scandal-plagued San Diego, joining a field that includes a maverick councilwoman and a former police chief. A July 26 special election is being held to replace Mayor Dick Murphy, who resigned amid a…
Polls: Congress’ Approval Rating Sinking photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Public approval of Congress is at its lowest level in more than a decade, according to a poll conducted as Republicans and Democrats remained locked in struggles over the confirmation of judges and the remaking of Social Security. Only 33 percent of those surveyed approved of the…

Dems Say Bolton Sought to Punish Dissenter photo WASHINGTON (AP) – John R. Bolton planned to ask then-CIA Director George Tenet to help punish a government intelligence analyst who disagreed with Bolton, and then misled a Senate committee about the matter, a Democratic Senate report said Wednesday. Bolton pushed for months to have the analyst…
L.A. Elects 1st Hispanic Mayor Since 1872 photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – Antonio Villaraigosa on Wednesday vowed to be “a mayor for all Los Angeles” after his election as the city’s first Hispanic mayor since 1872, a milestone in a city where Latinos now have political clout to match their burgeoning numbers. The changing of the guard was evident as…
U.S. Gives Anchorage $1.5M for Bus Stop photo ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Tom Wilson is faced with a problem many city administrators would envy: How to spend $1.5 million on a bus stop. Wilson, Anchorage’s director of public transportation, has all that money for a new and improved bus stop outside the Anchorage Museum of History and Art thanks…
Bush Proposes Corps to Aid New Democracies photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush, seeking to put muscle behind a promise to support young democracies, said Wednesday the administration is creating a special corps of federal workers that will deploy quickly to help foreign governments in crisis. Citing the lengthy and difficult task of setting…
GOP Aides Say New Patriot Act Obliges Bush photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee is working on a bill that would renew the Patriot Act and expand government powers in the name of fighting terrorism, letting the FBI subpoena records without permission from a judge or grand jury. Much of the debate in Congress…
House Panel Weighs Ban on Women in Combat WASHINGTON (AP) – A House committee on Wednesday rejected efforts to block the new round of base closings as it debated a bill that also would bar women from serving in certain Army combat support units. Rep. John McHugh, R-N.Y., planned to offer an amendment to put into law a Defense Department…
Hispanics Urge Md. Gov. to Respond to Slur ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – Some Hispanic advocates Wednesday called on the administration of Gov. Robert Ehrlich to eject the leader of a panel that nominates trial judges after he used a slur on his Web log. Although Ehrlich’s office condemned the remarks, aides weren’t saying if William G. Duvall Jr….
Illinois Governor Defends Offbeat Boast SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Gov. Rod Blagojevich is defending his use of the phrase “testicular virility” to describe his ability to make tough decisions. The remark prompted both laughter and complaints that it was sexist and an undignified thing for a governor to say. But Blagojevich called such…
Bush Headlines $15 Million RNC Fundraiser photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Hoarding every dollar possible for election activities, the Republican National Committee put on a fundraising gala so bare-bones even President Bush joked about it. “Thanks for coming. Please be seated,” Bush said, drawing laughter from the chairless crowd. The gala used to be a…
Anti-Tax Group to Run Pro-DeLay Ads WASHINGTON (AP) – An anti-tax group said Tuesday it is will run television ads likening the media and their reporting on Majority Leader Tom DeLay to sharks in a feeding frenzy. The ads will run on select television stations nationally, including in Houston, close to DeLay’s hometown in Texas, the…

EDS CEO: Kearney to fetch windfall The chief executive of Electronic Data Systems on Friday said he expects to sell the company’s money-losing A.T. Kearney consultancy by the end of the year, for a price in the range of several hundred million dollars. CEO Michael Jordan…
Antioco reappointed to Blockbuster board The Blockbuster Inc board of directors on Friday unanimously reappointed Chief Executive John Antioco as chairman and expanded the board to eight members.
Blue chips fall, investors switch to tech U.S. blue-chip stocks fell on Friday as concerns about the economy prompted investors to take profits in economically sensitive basic material stocks and buy tech shares, which rallied after an upbeat outlook from computer maker Dell Inc. .
Blue chips end lower; tech higher on Dell U.S. blue-chip stocks fell on Friday as a report showing consumer sentiment dipped in May sparked worry about the economy, while an upbeat outlook from Dell Inc. lifted tech shares. Based on the latest available data, The Dow Jones…
Tiffany net up; U.S. sales offset Japan Tiffany & Co. Inc. said on Friday that quarterly profit rose 9 percent as sales of higher-priced jewelry in the United States offset weakness in Japan and Europe and steeper costs for diamonds and precious metals. The stock fell 2 percent
United hopes to avoid ending labor deals United Airlines may pursue consensual deals with two key labor unions even if a judge OKs the carrier’s move to end labor contracts with the workers, United’s chief financial officer said on Friday. The No. 2 U.S. airline, a unit of UAL…
Oil steadies after big slide Oil prices steadied on Friday, holding this week’s 8 percent slide on swelling U.S. stockpiles and slowing global demand growth. U.S. crude oil settled up 13 cents at $48.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, ending a steep…
Blue chips sink as economy concerns weigh U.S. blue-chip stocks sank on Friday afternoon as a report showed consumer sentiment dipped in early May and concerns about the economy prompted investors to take profits in economically sensitive basic material stocks. Alcoa Inc. , the…
Lamy effectively proclaimed new WTO chief Former European Union trade chief Pascal Lamy was effectively proclaimed next head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday when his only remaining rival pulled out. Lamy, who saw off the challenges of three developing country…
Blue chips fall, Alcoa and Exxon weigh U.S. blue-chip stocks fell on Friday afternoon as investors took profits made in economically sensitive basic material stocks and bought tech shares, which rallied after an upbeat outlook from computer maker Dell Inc. . Alcoa Inc. , the…

Senate Defies Bush, Approves Highway Bill photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republican-controlled Senate brushed aside a presidential veto threat Tuesday and passed a $295 billion highway bill, arguing that massive spending on bigger and better roads was necessary to fight congestion and unsafe roadways. The administration, while pressing Congress to…
House GOP Tries to Pass Soc. Sec. Overhaul WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans are moving to super-size President Bush’s Social Security overhaul with measures aimed at breaking Democrats’ united front against it – such as bolstering private pension plans and improving non-retiree benefits for widows, children and the disabled. Democrats…
L.A. Mayor’s Race Close in Early Returns photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – Mayor James Hahn and Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa were locked in a close race Tuesday after early returns as the incumbent struggled to hold onto his job and his opponent sought to become the city’s first Hispanic mayor since the 19th century. An unofficial tally of mail-in…
Anti-Tax Group to Run Pro-DeLay Ads WASHINGTON (AP) – An anti-tax group said Tuesday it is will run television ads likening the media and their reporting on Majority Leader Tom DeLay to sharks in a feeding frenzy. The ads will run on select television stations nationally, including in Houston, close to DeLay’s hometown in Texas, the…
Bush Helps GOP Raise $15 Million at Gala photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush helped the Republican National Committee raise $15 million at its annual spring gala Tuesday night and told the party faithful he plans to take on the tax code, pension plans and Social Security in his second term. All three were created to meet the needs of people…
Md. Governor’s Office Condemns Blog Slur ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – An appointee to a state panel that nominates judges used an ethnic slur in a personal Web log and defended his language as being a slur “only in the eyes of the beholder” before later apologizing. Gov. Robert Ehrlich’s office condemned the remarks Tuesday and said it was…
Nixon Son-In-Law May Take on Sen. Clinton photo ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Republican Edward Cox, a son-in-law of President Nixon, will soon form an exploratory committee for an expected run against Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a top adviser said Tuesday. Lynn Mueller, an Albany-based consultant, said the budding campaign has already hired…
Fla. CFO to Announce Run for Governor TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher is expected to announce Wednesday that he will run to replace Gov. Jeb Bush in 2006, his campaign manager said. Gallagher has served in state government for more than 30 years, including 12 in the Legislature. He was also…
Detroit Mayor Pays Back Charges, Vows Run DETROIT (AP) – Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick wrote a check to his cash-strapped city Tuesday for nearly $9,000 in purchases charged to his city-issued credit card, seeking to diffuse criticism for expenses that included visits to a spa and a nightclub. Later in the day, Kilpatrick announced at a rally…
Homeland Security Image Booster Nixed WASHINGTON (AP) – The Homeland Security Department would say goodbye to Hollywood and eliminate a consultant tasked with boosting the agency’s image under a $31.8 billion spending plan the House approved Tuesday. The House plan, which passed 424-1, allocates nearly two-thirds of the department’s…

Republicans Confident About Bolton Vote photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House and Republicans expressed confidence Sunday that John R. Bolton would win Senate approval as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after a bruising confirmation battle in committee. “The president continues to have confidence in John. He believes he’s the right…
Source: Ill. Governor’s Office Subpoenaed CHICAGO (AP) – Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office has received subpoenas from a grand jury investigating allegations that his chief fundraiser traded jobs for campaign contributions, a source close to the investigation said Monday. The governor refused to say if he had been subpoenaed, insisting it…
Bush Urges Development of Alternate Fuels photo WEST POINT, Va. (AP) – With gasoline prices soaring, President Bush urged Congress on Monday to encourage development of alternate fuels like biodiesel and ethanol to make the United States less dependent on foreign oil. “Our dependence on foreign oil is like a foreign tax on the American dream,…
Petition to Recall Spokane Mayor Rejected photo SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – Prosecutors have rejected an effort to recall Mayor James West, who has been accused of offering city jobs to men he met in gay online chat rooms, officials said Monday. The petition request, filed by resident Shannon Sullivan, was ruled incomplete because it didn’t include a…
Candidates Make Last Pitch for L.A. Votes photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – In a final push for votes, the two candidates for mayor pumped hands in diners and swept through senior centers on Monday while exchanging prickly jabs that have been the hallmark of the campaign. Mayor James Hahn, lagging in opinion polls ahead of Tuesday’s balloting, kept up…
Mfume Addresses Allegations of Favoritism photo BALTIMORE (AP) – Casting himself as a determined underdog in the race for U.S. Senate, Kweisi Mfume said Monday that he wanted to erase doubts caused by allegations that he favored a subordinate he was dating while NAACP president. An internal memo from the National Association for the Advancement…
Group Loses Bid for More Westar Data WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge has refused to order the release of an internal report on political contributions by Westar Energy Inc., a Kansas company that’s been indicted in Texas for making illegal corporate contributions to a political committee founded by Majority Leader Tom DeLay. U.S….
Marathon Filibusters a Thing of the Past photo WASHINGTON (AP) – It was a Senate filibuster that did justice to all the celluloid versions and spirited talkathons of bygone years. New York Sen. Alfonse D’Amato chattered, crooned “South of the Border,” answered questions from a visiting colleague around 3 a.m., recited names and controlled all…
Amid Probe, 3 San Diego Officials Resign SAN DIEGO (AP) – Three officials linked to San Diego’s pension fund scandal have resigned amid deepening federal probes into the city’s troubled finances, a city official said Monday in a letter. The three city employees left to “pursue other professional interests,” City Manager Lamont Ewell said…
Ex-Fla. Dem Chief to Run for Governor TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Scott Maddox, former chairman of Florida’s Democratic Party, entered the race Monday to succeed Republican Gov. Jeb Bush. Maddox, 37, said he is intent on “reining in insurance companies, loosening the grip of powerful corporate lobbyists and keeping government from…

GOP Confident of Bolton’s Chances photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House and Republicans expressed confidence Sunday that John R. Bolton would win Senate approval as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations after a bruising confirmation battle in committee. “The president continues to have confidence in John. He believes he’s the right…
Rice Lauds New Gov’t in Surprise Iraq Trip photo BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – Under heavy guard on a surprise visit Sunday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Iraq’s new government realizes it must move quickly to write a constitution that reflects the full spectrum of ethnic and religious groups. Acknowledging the recent increase in deadly…
Democrat Key to Bush Social Security Push photo WASHINGTON (AP) – A registered Democrat, Robert Pozen has little to gain politically from the Social Security solvency plan that he drafted and that now is heralded by President Bush, whom the former Massachusetts economic development chief voted against in November. Nonetheless, Pozen has become…
L.A. Mayor Candidates Stress Public Safety photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – With the countdown to Tuesday’s election under way, the city’s two mayoral candidates campaigned Sunday in South Los Angeles, seeking support among a group that could swing the election – black voters. Mayor James Hahn and front-running rival Antonio Villaraigosa each boarded…
Bush Honors 156 Slain Police Officers photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush paid tribute on Sunday to 156 law enforcement officers killed last year while making traffic stops, arresting criminals, investigating crimes and performing other duties. The names of the officers were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, along…
Clark Criticizes Planned Base Closings photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark said Saturday that the Pentagon’s plan to close military bases around the country and reorganize troops will isolate the military from the American people and the rest of the world. Clark said the plan to pull U.S. forces back home from…
Sen. Clinton Speaks at Agnes Scott College photo DECATUR, Ga. (AP) – Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton told Agnes Scott College graduates that all women must “decide what we want to do and how we will contribute.” “There has never been a time in human history where it has been better to be a young woman alive and living in America,” Clinton told the…
Gay Former Congressman Marries in Mass. photo BOSTON (AP) – Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay member of Congress, quietly married his longtime partner last year after same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts, according to a published report. Studds, a liberal Democrat who spent more than 20 years in Congress, married…
Better Interviews Said Key to Exit Polls MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Better training of interviewers to get a proper sample of voters after they cast ballots will be key to improving the performance of exit polls, one pollster who handled the 2004 election surveys said Saturday. Exit polls on Election Day 2004 overstated support for…
Texas Bill to Ban Suggestive Cheers Stalls AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A bill approved by the state House to ban bawdy cheerleading routines apparently isn’t going anywhere in the Senate this year. The legislation prohibits “overtly sexually suggestive” cheerleading routines at school events and gives the state education chief the authority to…

Gay Former Congressman Marries in Mass. photo BOSTON (AP) – Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay member of Congress, quietly married his longtime partner last year after same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts, according to a published report. Studds, a liberal Democrat who spent more than 20 years in Congress, married…
Clark Criticizes Planned Base Closings photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark said Saturday that the Pentagon’s plan to close military bases around the country and reorganize troops will isolate the military from the American people and the rest of the world. Clark said the plan to pull U.S. forces back home from…
7 GOP Senators Key in Filibuster Fight photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Seven Republican senators will determine the outcome of a showdown this week between the president and Congress – and a minority within it – over who is going to shape the federal courts. Barring any unforeseen developments, these are the lawmakers in the make-or-break position…
Democrats Consider Revamping Primaries photo CHICAGO (AP) – Democrats, looking to reverse their fortunes after two straight White House defeats, met Saturday to hear competing proposals to revamp the election calendar used to choose a presidential nominee every four years. The three major proposals would focus on regional primaries. Two of…
Better Interviews Said Key to Exit Polls MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Better training of interviewers to get a proper sample of voters after they cast ballots will be key to improving the performance of exit polls, one pollster who handled the 2004 election surveys said Saturday. Exit polls on Election Day 2004 overstated support for…
Senate Panel OKs Defense Spending Boost photo WASHINGTON (AP) – A Senate committee approved a $441.6 billion defense bill for fiscal 2006 that envisions spending an additional $50 billion next year for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Our forces serving around the world are truly the first line of defense in the security of our homeland,…
Texas Bill to Ban Suggestive Cheers Stalls AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A bill approved by the state House to ban bawdy cheerleading routines apparently isn’t going anywhere in the Senate this year. The legislation prohibits “overtly sexually suggestive” cheerleading routines at school events and gives the state education chief the authority to…
Base Plan Would Alter Military Landscape photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is proposing to close and shrink hundreds of bases to create a leaner, more cost-effective force. If accepted, the plan would alter the domestic military landscape and greatly affect the four services branches and communities that are home to…
Democrat to Offer Social Security Plan photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Breaking with party leaders, a Democratic congressman plans to introduce Social Security legislation, saying his first commitment is to his constituents. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., said Friday: “I have the largest amount of Social Security recipients of any Democrat anywhere in…
Bush Pressures Congress on Economic Agenda photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Capitalizing on recent positive news about the economy, President Bush says Congress should support his agenda on trade, Social Security and energy or risk endangering the economic security of the nation. “For the sake of our nation’s hardworking families, we must work together…

Dem. Congressman Offers 1st Soc. Sec. Fix photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Breaking with party leaders, a Democratic congressman plans to introduce Social Security legislation, saying his first commitment is to his constituents. Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., said Friday: “I have the largest amount of Social Security recipients of any Democrat anywhere in…
Democrats Move to Slow Action on Bolton photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Democrats opposed to President Bush’s nomination of John R. Bolton to be U.N. ambassador are trying to delay a Senate vote with a legislative maneuver that ultimately could lead to a filibuster. As a result, Senate consideration of the nomination is unlikely before the end…
Newsview: Base Closings Could Harm Pols photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Painful cries echoed from the New Mexico statehouse to congressional offices in Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Connecticut on Friday as Republicans and Democrats, revving up for 2006 re-election bids, absorbed the military base hit list. The proposed shuttering of dozens of…
Union Leaders Scramble to Reverse Losses WASHINGTON (AP) – Divided and desperate, union leaders are looking everywhere – from Ivy League classrooms to the “megachurch” pulpits of far-flung suburbia – for ways to reverse a 50-year decline in membership that is tipping the balance of power in politics. Labor’s woes are a threat to the…
Pentagon Plans Massive Overhaul of Bases photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Pentagon is proposing the most sweeping changes to its network of military bases in modern history, a plan that would close 33 major facilities in 22 states and reconfigure hundreds of others to achieve savings and promote cooperation among the armed services. More than two…
Bloomberg Spends $9.9M on NYC Mayor’s Race photo NEW YORK (AP) – Mayor Michael Bloomberg has spent $9.9 million of his own money on his re-election campaign so far, a signal that the billionaire will spare no expense in November’s mayoral race and may even exceed the $74 million he spent in his successful 2001 bid for office. In the past two…
Annan Failed to Disclose Key Contacts photo U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan did not initially tell investigators in the oil-for-food probe that he met twice with representatives of his son’s employer as the Swiss company began soliciting United Nations business. Annan’s omissions last November raised credibility concerns with the chief…
Bush: Cutting Growth in Benefits Is Key photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Friday said the country can better afford Social Security if his proposal to cut the growth in benefits for most workers is adopted. Bush wants Congress to enact legislation that he says would place Social Security on a permanently stable financial foundation….
Ind. Governor Signs Daylight-Saving Bill photo INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indiana residents will switch their clocks ahead with most other Americans next April after the governor on Friday signed legislation moving all the state’s counties to daylight-saving time for the first time since the early 1970s. Efforts to make the statewide switch had…
Ellsworth in S.D. on Pentagon’s Hit List photo ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (AP) – During the Cold War, Ellsworth Air Force Base was well-positioned to protect America against Soviet attack and bring doomsday to the Kremlin. Situated on the South Dakota prairie, it provided missiles and long-range nuclear bombers with a direct route to…

Byrd, Frist Spar Over Filibuster Changes photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Irritated by Democratic chiding, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Thursday defended the “fairness and principle” of pressing a confrontation over judicial filibusters. During an hourlong exchange, Senate dean Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., told Frist, “Don’t leave this as your…
GOP Senator Breaks Ranks, Attacks Bolton photo WASHINGTON (AP) – For a grindingly tense moment, John R. Bolton’s U.N. prospects dangled in the balance. Republican George Voinovich of Ohio was laying out a case against Bolton for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, calling President Bush’s nominee to be the next United Nations ambassador…
State Defers to FBI in Spokane Mayor Probe photo SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – The state of Washington will defer to the FBI in an initial investigation of Mayor James West, who has been accused of using his office to seek sexual favors from other men, the attorney general said Thursday. Attorney General Rob McKenna said the state would prefer to wait…
White House Leaves Disbled Benefits Open photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Future Social Security retirement benefits for disabled workers is a matter for negotiations with Congress as it drafts solvency legislation, the Bush administration said Thursday, declining to say whether they should be raised, lowered or left unchanged. “Any plan that maintains…
Pa. Papers Spar Over Congressman Coverage PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Some news outlets in northeastern Pennsylvania have declined to report on an encounter between a married GOP congressman and a 29-year-old woman, with one managing editor telling readers he didn’t think the matter was “my business. Or yours.” “Where is the connection between…
Conservatives Honor DeLay With Gala photo WASHINGTON (AP) – House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, facing an audience of conservative well-wishers who reject as politically motivated the ethics questions that have dogged him for months, on Thursday night fired back at Democrats by calling them members of a party with no ideas and “no class.”…
Lawyer: Clinton Aide Never Knew Gala Cost photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s former national finance director never knew the total cost of a 2000 Hollywood fundraising gala, his attorney said Thursday in opening statements at his federal trial over whether campaign contributions were illegally concealed. Defense lawyer Paul…
GOP Congressman Comes to Pelosi’s Rescue photo WASHINGTON (AP) – It was a Cinderella story, Capitol Hill style. Starring as Prince Charming, freshman Rep. Dave Reichert dropped to his knees Thursday in the midst of a news conference and handed over a beige leather slingback that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi lost during Wednesday’s hasty…
Shock Jock Hosts N.J. GOP Hopefuls Debate EWING, N.J. (AP) – In January, shock jock Craig Carton caused an uproar by insulting the acting governor’s wife. More recently, he took aim at Asian-Americans. On Thursday, the radio personality turned on his serious side to host a live, two-hour debate among five Republicans running for governor…
Bush to Host Karzai for First Time photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will host several foreign leaders at the White House this month, including his first visit with Afghan President Hamid Karzai since last fall. Bush will host former South African President Nelson Mandela next Tuesday; Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazief on…

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