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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DuckTapeSunroof who wrote (672298)	2/15/2005 3:33:57 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

Senate Expected to OK Chertoff Nomination By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 7:35 p.m. ET WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senators predicted Michael Chertoff would be easily approved as the nation's next Homeland Security secretary even as they jousted Monday over whether he had any connection to a secret FBI memo that discussed the treatment of terror suspects. The Senate opened six hours of debate leading up to Tuesday's 4 p.m. vote to confirm Chertoff. The vote was delayed for a week as Democratic senators hammered the Justice Department for refusing to release an unedited copy of a May 2004 e-mail from FBI agents seeking guidance about questioning terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay. Chertoff, now a federal appeals court judge, headed the Justice Department's criminal division during the government investigation immediately following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Monday's debate was led by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who said he plans to support Chertoff even though ``information relevant to his confirmation has been arbitrarily denied to the Senate.'' Chertoff told lawmakers earlier this month he had no knowledge of the contents of the FBI memo, or who sent it. Chertoff also denied approving any harsh interrogation techniques that violate anti-torture laws. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee chairwoman Susan Collins said the memo is irrelevant to Chertoff's nomination and urged lawmakers to take his assurances at face value. ``Have we become so cynical about the good people who are making extraordinary sacrifices to serve their country?'' said Collins, R-Maine. ``If this is what the confirmation process is becoming all about, then I fear that very good people are going to say no. They're going to say, 'It is not worth having my honesty questioned.''' Levin said his demand for the FBI memo was to merely assure congressional oversight -- and was not meant to challenge Chertoff's integrity. ``That is simply carrying out a responsibility that this Senate has to be fully informed as to the facts that relate to a nominee,'' Levin said. ``It's that simple. It's that important.'' Two other Democrats -- Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bill Nelson of Florida -- said they also planned to vote for Chertoff.

To: DuckTapeSunroof who wrote (672298)	2/15/2005 5:44:47 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Respond to of 769670

Chertoff to Become Homeland Security Chief By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 5:19 p.m. ET WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate confirmed federal judge Michael Chertoff as the nation's second Homeland Security secretary on Tuesday, placing the tough-on-terrorism former prosecutor in charge of a bureaucracy prone to infighting and turf wars. Chertoff, 51, has promised to balance protecting the country with preserving civil liberties as head of the sprawling agency that was created as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. The 98-0 vote came nearly two weeks after Chertoff faced pointed questioning from Democrats about his role in developing the U.S. investigation immediately after the attacks. Chertoff headed the Justice Department's criminal division when hundreds of foreigners were swept up on relatively minor charges and held for an average of 80 days. Some detainees were denied their right to see an attorney, were not told of the charges against them, or were physically abused. At the Feb. 2 hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Chertoff defended the investigation strategy but conceded it ``had not always been executed perfectly.'' Few expected Chertoff to face widespread opposition in the Senate. But his confirmation was delayed by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to protest being denied Justice Department information about the treatment of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay. Levin unsuccessfully sought an unedited copy of a May 2004 secret FBI memo that discussed interrogation techniques to see if it mentioned or involved Chertoff. The department denied Levin's request but said the memo did not refer to Chertoff ``by name or otherwise.'' Known as a fiery, wiry workhorse, Chertoff had previously been confirmed three times -- as a 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge, Justice Department assistant attorney general and U.S. attorney in New Jersey. He takes over the 180,000-employee Homeland Security Department in the wake of new regulations replacing salaries based on workers' seniority with a merit pay system. The regulations are being challenged in federal court by four labor unions who represent the agency's employees. Chertoff replaces Tom Ridge, who stepped down Feb. 1. Not voting were Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.