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Dems Still Wrangling for Secret Bolton Info NewsMax.com WiresWASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats opposed to John R. Bolton asked one of his GOP supporters to be a go-between in their pursuit of information that could break an impasse over his nomination to be U.N. ambassador. At the same time, a Democratic lawmaker said the Bush administration has made overtures to try to get the nomination to a final vote. Story Continues Below "The White House did make some proposals which didn't really do it, but they're reaching out a little bit," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., told reporters Thursday. Democrats have demanded to know more about communications intercepted by the National Security Agency that Bolton had asked to see when he was the State Department's arms control chief. The lawmakers suspect Bolton may have sought the information to retaliate against government workers who disagreed with some of his views on Cuba, Syria and other hot spots. The administration has refused to provide the information, beyond a limited briefing given to GOP Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and the vice chairman, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. Roberts supported Bolton when the full Senate debated his nomination last month. Rockefeller opposed Bolton. On Thursday, Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Joseph Biden, D-Del., wrote to Roberts and Rockefeller to enlist their help in getting the additional information from the administration. Dodd and Biden said they have a list of three dozen "names of concern." They want National Intelligence Director John D. Negroponte to check that list with the names of U.S. citizens in the secret communications Bolton saw, and then tell Roberts and Rockefeller if there is any overlap. Roberts and Rockefeller would then explain to Senate Democrats "whether there was any inappropriate use of the names," Dodd and Biden wrote. That is a slight modification of a compromise proposed by Dodd last week and rejected by Negroponte. Republicans need 60 votes to move Bolton's nomination forward. They fell short of that mark last month. Democrats claim they have enough votes to again hold off a final up-or-down vote, but would drop their procedural delays if the White House produces the information sought.
© 2005 The Associated Press
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