Moves to Curb Power to Name Prosecutors

[cal04]

Source: CARL HULSE and SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

The Senate moved Monday to revoke new authority it granted the Bush administration last year to name federal prosecutors, with Democrats accusing the administration of abusing the appointment power at the center of an escalating clash over the firing of eight United States attorneys.

The move to overturn an obscure provision of the USA Patriot Act, which allowed the attorney general to appoint federal prosecutors for an indefinite period without Senate confirmation, came amid growing speculation that the controversy over the prosecutors would cost Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales his job.

President Bush has said he has confidence in Mr. Gonzales, but the White House seemed to offer only tepid support for him on Monday.

“Nobody is prophetic enough to know what the next 21 months hold,” the White House press secretary, Tony Snow, said when asked if Mr. Gonzales would remain until the end of Mr. Bush’s term. Mr. Bush has said Mr. Gonzales needs to repair his relations with Capitol Hill; asked if the attorney general had done so, Mr. Snow said, “I don’t know.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/20/washington/20attorneys.html?hp

[Purveyor]

1. Revoke the entire goddamned Patriot Act, now!!! n/t

[w4rma]

2. It should be revoked, but the GOP will obstruct that. They won't obstruct this.

In fact, I think this should be attached to another bill that we want passed.

[Robbien]

5. So far has any bill been passed into law?

The house has passed several but they have all stalled in the Senate. The Senate hasn't passed even one bill as far as I have seen. The Senate is not willing to pass a bill with just a majority vote and force Bush to either sign or veto. So all bills are effectively vetoed by the Senate since the bills sit there gathering dust.

[maddezmom]

3. K&R

:kick:

[annabanana]

4. If anyone . . ANYONE votes to keep that provision

They are well and truly screwed.

[heatstreak]

6. kick