U.S. News & World Report: Headlines Spur Democrats

[PhilipShore]

By Paul Bedard
Posted 3/7/07
Politics
Inside Washington
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070307/7dems.htm


Buoyed by the conviction of vice presidential aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby and the growing probes of the war and fired prosecutors, Democrats are huddling to come up with even more investigations into Bush administration policies and practices.

"I think," said a top Democratic aide, "that this week showed what a difference it makes when you've got Democrats in the majority." Democratic officials said that the Libby verdict was simply the "frosting on the cake" of other controversies they are probing, including the handling of wounded soldiers, wasteful spending in the war, and claims by prosecutors that they were fired for not investigating Democratic political scandals.

"Look, there's going to be more of those kinds of investigations. Way more," said the leadership aide. "Just this week alone we had hearings on Walter Reed, the prosecutor firings, and we're up to 92 hearings on the Iraq war. None of that would have happened if the Democrats weren't in charge," added the aide. The impact of the probes is clearly being felt inside the White House and among Bush advisers.

Just one sign: After the Libby verdict, some Cheney and Bush aides expressed concern that Libby would talk to prosecutors further, possibly leading a clearer path to Vice President Cheney or Bush aide Karl Rove.