WASHINGTON – The White House intends to deny the Senate Judiciary Committee documents from Supreme Court nominee John Roberts’ work in the solicitor general’s office from 1989-93, a senior Bush administration official said Monday.
“They will not be released,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public.
The administration is working on the release of other documents from Roberts’ time working for President Reagan in the 1980s, the official said. But it will claim executive privilege for materials from his time as principal deputy solicitor general – the government’s second-ranking courtroom lawyer – for President George H.W. Bush between 1989 and 1993.
Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have not revealed which documents they will seek, but they have hinted they may want documents to shed more light on Roberts’ stands on such key issues as abortion, the environment and federal jurisdiction.
Hints of Bolton appointment
Frustrated by Senate Democrats, the White House hinted Monday that President Bush may act soon to sidestep Congress and install embattled nominee John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations on a temporary basis when Congress recesses from Friday to Sept. 7. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Monday that “sometimes there’s come a point” when Bush has decided he needs to act.
Democrats’ retirement savings plan
House Democrats intend to propose a retirement-savings plan today that will be their first leadership-backed alternative to Republican plans for a broad retirement-security package, which includes changes to Social Security. The Democratic plan, called AmeriSave, would increase incentives for middle-class workers to participate in 401(k) retirement accounts and individual retirement accounts. It would also create tax credits for small businesses that set up retirement accounts for their employees.
GOP crafts detainee legislation
Senate Republicans pushed ahead Monday with legislation that would set rules for the treatment and interrogation of terrorism suspects in U.S. custody, despite a White House veto threat. Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina want to tack the amendments onto a bill setting Defense Department policy for next year. McCain introduced the legislation Monday.
Florida: Shuttle to launch today
With the countdown entering its final hours and a fuel gauge problem still unexplained, NASA said it is prepared to launch the Discovery space shuttle at 7:39 a.m. PDT today at Cape Canaveral on the first flight since Columbia’s doomed mission 21/2 years ago. Forecasters put the odds of good launch weather at 60 percent, with rain and storm clouds both posing threats.
Colorado: Mother pleads in sex parties
A woman who told Golden police she wanted to be a “cool mom” pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges Monday for having sex with high school boys at parties. Silvia Johnson, 40, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of sexual assault and nine felony counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Johnson, who is free on bail, held parties for the boys almost weekly between October 2003 and October 2004, authorities said. She was accused of providing drugs and alcohol to eight boys and having sex with five of them.
Ohio: Clinton to help define party
The Democratic Leadership Council, an organization of influential party moderates meeting in Columbus, on Monday named Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., to direct a new initiative to define a party agenda for the 2006 and 2008 elections. In her new role, Clinton immediately called for a truce between the DLC and liberal elements of the party, which have engaged in a war of words over the Democrats’ direction since President Bush won re-election last year.
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