News Headlines
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by Joe Frawley
News Editor |
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Ashcroft now US Attorney General
On Thursday afternoon, the United States Senate confirmed former Senator John Ashcroft as US Attorney General. The vote in the Senate was 58 to 42.
On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted by at 10 to 8 motion to send Ashcroft's nomination to the full Senate. The only Democratic senator voted in favor of Ashcroft, Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.
On Wednesday and Thursday the full Senate debated the nomination. Democrats argued that Ashcroft was not fit to be Attorney General because of his record on civil rights. Republicans argued that Ashcroft was the one of the most qualified nominees for Attorney General ever. Eight Democrats joined the Republicans in approving Ashcroft. They included Feingold, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, John Breaux of Louisiana, and Zell Miller of Georgia.
After Ashcroft's nomination was approved, he was sworn in at the Supreme Court by Clarence Thomas.
Clintons Criticized Over Office Space, Gifts
Former President Clinton has received a lot of criticism over the high cost of the office space he wants in Manhattan. Also, he and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) have been criticized for accepting about 200,000 dollars worth of gifts shortly leaving office.
The former president's new office is going to be the entire 56th floor of the Carnegie Hall Tower in Manhattan. The rent for the office is approximately $700,000 per year. The taxpayers pay the cost of the rent. On Friday, Clinton responded by saying that the taxpayers will pay the rent up to what former President Ronald Reagan pays (mid-$300,000) and his foundation will make up the difference.
Mrs. Clinton is facing criticism because now that she is a Senator she could not get the gifts. On Friday the Clintons announced that they would pay $85,000 for the gifts that they kept. Gifts include furniture given by the ex-wife of Marc Rich, whom Clinton pardoned, china from Steven Spielberg, a golf driver from Jack Nicholson, and a portrait of Buddy, the Clinton's dog, taken by an artist near the Clinton's home in Chappaqua, NY.
Libyan Convicted in Pan Am 103 Crash
On Wednesday, a Scottish Court in the Netherlands found Abdel Baset al-Megrahi guilty of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Fight 103, that crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland, killing the 259 people aboard the plane and 11 people on the ground. Fellow Libyan Al-Amin Khalifa Fhimah was acquitted, and returned to Libya.
Libyan leader Colonel Moammar Gadhafi said that he would reveal evidence that proves that the convicted bomber is innocent. Gadhafi said, "When I speak, there will be three choices in front of the judges: either to commit suicide or to resign or to admit the truth." Gadhafi has said that he will seek compensation for the families killed when the United States Air Force raided Tripoli, Libya in 1986.
President George Bush has said that economic sanctions should remain in place against Libya, until the Libyan government accepts responsibility for the bombing.
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