do ya mean Tom Ridge or pardoned financier mark Rich -- WASHINGTON BOARD

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Date Posted: 15:37:04 03/05/02 Tue
Author: Larsen the inept
Author Host/IP: NoHost / 199.80.13.70
Subject:

do ya mean Tom Ridge or pardoned financier mark Rich
In reply to: Donk-the-annoyed 's message, "Hey, Rich!" on 10:55:42 03/05/02 Tue

Homeland security director turns down senators' request to testify
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020305/ap_to_po/attacks_ridge_3&printer=1

Tue Mar 5, 4:26 AM ET

By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Homeland security chief Tom Ridge is turning down a bipartisan request from a Senate committee that he testify, his spokeswoman said Monday, the latest White House-Congress difference over the war on terror.

The two top members of the Senate Appropriations Committee � Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., and senior Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska � wrote to Ridge on Monday asking that he appear before their panel.

Ridge coordinates the government's anti-terrorism effort at home, though the programs themselves are carried out by dozens of other agencies. Appropriations controls much federal spending, including the $38 billion � double this year's total � that President Bush has proposed for next year's domestic security programs.

"Your views and insights on the policies necessary to meet these objectives are critical to the committee and the nation," the senators wrote.

Ridge spokeswoman Susan Neely said he would not testify because he is an adviser to the president, not a Senate- confirmed head of an agency that implements policy.

"Assistants to the president work for the president," Neely said. "And the president has spoken his recommendations to the Senate and House" in the budget he sent Congress last month, she said.

Byrd spokesman Tom Gavin had no comment on Ridge's refusal until the committee receives the homeland security director's formal response. Asked if Byrd would compel Ridge's appearance through a subpoena, Gavin said Byrd has not discussed that possibility.

Republican Stevens' signature on the Appropriations Committee letter makes this appear to be a dispute between the executive and legislative branches over the release of information, not a partisan conflict.

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and other Democrats asked questions about Bush administration plans for continuing the conflict in Afghanistan. That prompted some Republicans to accuse Democrats of politicizing the war, while Democrats said they merely wanted details.

Daschle and other lawmakers also have complained they knew nothing about federal officials who have been working secretly outside Washington since Sept. 11 as a contingency government to guarantee continuity in case of a devastating attack on Washington. The "shadow government" was revealed last week by The Washington Post, and a GOP lawmaker criticized the secrecy surrounding it on Monday.

"We have to have some awareness of this because, as I recall, we are number three in succession here and that might be of interest to them," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., referring to succession to the presidency.

In another dispute, Congress' General Accounting Office has sued Vice President Dick Cheney to learn the names of business leaders who met with the White House energy task force.

Neely said Ridge has repeatedly met privately with lawmakers to discuss domestic security, including recent separate sessions with GOP and Democratic senators.

Presidents often decline to let White House staff testify to Congress, citing past precedent, but there have been numerous recent exceptions to that practice.

Byrd and Stevens gave Ridge the choice of testifying on April 9, 10 or 11.

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Replies:

I think Rich -- Wilbs, 19:59:55 03/05/02 Tue
- Never let facts get in the way of a good repuke hate.... -- Donk, 20:33:48 03/05/02 Tue
  - Repukes now feel threatened, we've lost monopoly on hate -- Larsen, 12:41:14 03/06/02 Wed
    - I still have mine....n/t (NT) -- Donk, 16:24:05 03/06/02 Wed
Oh no! -- Donk, 21:10:31 03/05/02 Tue