*JUSTICE DEFENDS DETENTIONS: On December 11, the U.S. Justice Department released a fact sheet on its detentions of suspects and material witnesses since 9/11. "The Department of Justice [www.usdoj.gov] continues to pursue the most important investigation in this nation’s history. Never before has so heinous an act been perpetrated on American soil as the terrorist attacks of September 11. Our investigation is massive and ongoing," said Justice. "As in other criminal investigations, we seek to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks. This investigation, however, has another important purpose as well-to protect Americans from additional acts of terror."
Noted Justice, dispelling myths promoted by the media, "Every person detained in the course of the 9/11 investigation was charged with violating our nation’s criminal laws or immigration laws, or was held under court order as a material witness. Every person detained can choose to disclose their identity and detention at any time. All lawyers of detainees, criminal defendants, and/or material witnesses can disclose their identities and that of their clients, if their clients so desire. No one has been held in ‘secret detention’-all detainees are free to disclose their identities to the press and the public at any time." Detainees "have access to telephones to contact lawyers," said Justice.
**UNDERMINING BUSH: Seeking to impose some sort of fiscal discipline on Congress’s runaway domestic spending spree, President Bush has ordered that the pay of federal employees (except military personnel) be hiked 3.1% instead of 4.1% in 2003. But Republican Rep. Tom Davis (Va.)-who would like next month to be chosen chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, which oversees civil servants and their pay-and Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.) are plotting to undo Bush’s decision. The duo "in interviews this weekend, played down Bush’s announcement, calling it the product of a statutory deadline for a pay decision and the budget gridlock over fiscal 2003 spending priorities," reported the Washington Post December 2. " ‘We are going to revisit the appropriations in January. Congress is on record giving the 4.1%,’ Davis said."
Bush provided a 3.1% raise based on national employment figures but refused to provide an increase in locality pay, the adjustment for costs of living in different parts of the country. He cited the "national emergency" caused by September 11 and its aftermath. "Full statutory civilian pay increases in 2003 would interfere with our nation’s ability to pursue the war on terrorism," said Bush. Apparently not recognizing a difference between bureaucrats and those who serve in uniform, Davis said, "I think we make a huge mistake when we treat the military and civilians differently." Taking a different tack, Rep. Jeff Miller (R.- Fla.) says he will introduce a bill next month to reverse Congress’ own 3.1% pay raise.
*FACTOID ABOUT SNOW: New Treasury Secretary John Snow, a champion of tax reform (see story, page 6), is exceptionally well-connected. According to the London Financial Times (December 11), "The CSX chairman and chief executive sits on more boards-seven including the railroad company-than any other CEO in the country."
*STEEL ON THE ROPES: A month after California Republicans were shut out of every statewide office, State Party Chairman Shawn Steel found himself under fire from his own board of directors, which is very much under the sway of moderate Gerald Parsky, the state’s top Bushman. In a much-publicized speech to the Sacramento Press Club, Steel last week denounced Golden State businessmen for failing to support GOP candidates and vowed to oppose any Republican state legislator who voted to increase taxes. The party’s 20-member board thereupon voted unanimously to censure Steel for making "an electoral threat against members of [the legislative] caucuses." The chairman, who is retiring in February, dismissed the censure as a "power move by Parsky and [State Senate GOP Leader Jim] Brulte."
*REICH OUT? The recess appointment of former Reagan White House aide Otto Reich as assistant secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere expires January 3 and the talk on Capitol Hill and at the State Department is that his name will not again be formally submitted to the Senate for confirmation. Instead he may be named to the National Security Council staff at the White House, which requires no Senate action. Despite the new GOP majority in the Senate, Hill sources tell HUMAN EVENTS, the Bush White House is unwilling to wage a fight because among Senate opponents to Reich are several Republicans, including incoming Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (Ind.), Sen. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Sen. Mike Enzi (Wyo.)-farm state senators who want greater agricultural trade with Castro’s Cuba. "Supporters and opponents [of Reich] agree that he will not be renominated since the White House has offered no public assurances," concludes Ralph J. Galliano, editor of the U.S.-Cuba Policy Report.
Already speculation is mounting on possible replacements for Reich at the Western Hemisphere job. Among those being mentioned: Ann Patterson, U.S. ambassador to Colombia; Roger Noriega, U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States; and AT&T executive Cresencio Arcos, formerly U.S. ambassador to Honduras.
*CLONING AT STANFORD: Dr. Irving Weissman, director of Stanford’s new Institute for Cancer/Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, announced the school’s intention to clone human beings for scientific experiments. Stanford officials attempted to conceal their intentions by using the euphemism "nuclear cell transfer," and also trying to devise a distinction between "research" and "reproductive" cloning. "Creating human stem cell lines is not equivalent to reproductive cloning," claimed a statement from the university, a conclusion opponents find untenable.
Sen. Sam Brownback (R.-Kan.) has promised to bring back the cloning ban legislation that he sponsored this year along with Sen. Mary Landrieu (D.-La.). A similar bill passed the House, but Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D.-S.D.) would not let senators vote on it. The bill may have enough votes to pass the Senate this year. Anti-cloning forces say they gained a net of four seats in the Senate in the November elections.
*OHIO BELIEVES IN DEBATE: On December 10, the Ohio State Board of Education adopted science standards that include learning why "scientists continue to investigate and critically analyze aspects of evolutionary theory." Intelligent design theorist Dr. Stephen Meyer, director of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, said, "Ohio has become the first state to require students to learn about scientific criticisms of Darwinian evolution as well as scientific evidence supporting the theory. This represents an important milestone in the effort to ensure that students learn the full range of relevant scientific evidence. This policy will help remedy the selective presentation of evidence made by most biology textbooks today."
The new standards do not require the teaching of scientific intelligent design theory, much less Bible-based creationism. "In recent weeks some have mischaracterized the new language as an effort to mandate teaching the theory of intelligent design in the classroom, but that is not accurate and is not what we asked for," said Meyer. "The new standard requires students to learn about the evidence for and against Darwin’s theory. It does not mandate that students be tested about the theory of intelligent design, though it does leave teachers free to discuss it."
*CANADA FINALLY MOVES: Canadian officials have finally decided to help the United States in the war on terror. First, they have decided to crack down on asylum-seekers already rejected by the United States. Also, after months of pressure, they have finally classified Hezbollah as a terrorist group-something they had previously refused to do-prompting Hezbollah to declare: "Describing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization is a false and void description that is entirely untrue. Canadian authorities have committed a grave mistake that will undoubtedly have a negative effect on [Canada’s] relationship with the peoples and countries of our Arab and Islamic nation and increase enmity and hate toward it."
