Page 4 - aruba-today-20180728

A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 28 July 2018

Senators spar on access to Kavanaugh’s staff secretary work

By JESSICA GRESKO in and channeling the
Associated Press president’s questions and
WASHINGTON (AP) — More comments on that material
than a decade after he to the right people. He was
served as what’s been also a key part of the presi-
called the president’s “in- dent’s speechwriting pro-
box and outbox,” Brett Ka- cess, helped put together
vanaugh’s role as White legislation and worked on
House staff secretary to drafting and revising ex-
President George W. Bush ecutive orders, he has said.
has become a flashpoint as He also traveled with the
Republicans push his con- president, at points sitting in
firmation to the Supreme on meetings between the
Court. president and foreign lead-
Democrats want to see re- ers.
cords from the time, por- While Kavanaugh was
traying the potentially mil- staff secretary, Bush made
lions of documents as vital a range of controversial
to understanding his ap- decisions, including sign-
proach to the law. Repub- ing into law a partial-birth
licans disagree and have abortion ban and backing
accused Democrats of us- a constitutional amend-
ing the issue to try to delay ment banning gay mar-
Kavanaugh’s confirmation. In this July 26, 2018, photo, Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh meets with Sen. Jim riage. Democrats say that
The debate could interfere Inhofe, R-Okla., on Capitol Hill in Washington. time is relevant to Kavana-
with Republicans’ goal of Associated Press ugh’s views and philosophy
swiftly confirming President ings on Kavanaugh’s nomi- not from his time as staff Friday released a letter to as a judge.
Donald Trump’s pick for the nation, said this week that secretary. former president Bush call- But Republicans argue the
court in time for the start of Democrats’ “bloated de- Senate Minority Leader ing on him to authorize the staff secretary documents
the new term Oct. 1. With mands are an obvious at- Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., release of “the complete aren’t useful because Ka-
the Senate control slimly tempt to obstruct the con- said Thursday that Kava- record of Judge Kavana- vanaugh’s job wasn’t to
held by Republicans 51-49, firmation process.” And on naugh himself has por- ugh’s service in the White provide his own advice
Democrats can’t block Ka- Friday, after negotiations trayed his three years as House.” And Sen. but to ensure others’ views
vanaugh’s nomination out- with Democrats failed to Bush’s staff secretary, from Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., were presented to the pres-
right if Republicans hold to- produce a consensus on July 2003 to May 2006, as Democrats’ leader on the ident. They say the papers
gether. Instead, Democrats what documents should be “the most interesting and, Judiciary Committee, said contain the most sensitive
are trying to delay the pro- sought ahead of a hearing in many ways, among the her own request for the White House documents,
ceedings in hopes that time on Kavanaugh’s nomina- most instructive” to his work staff secretary documents advice sent directly to the
spent reviewing the judge’s tion, Grassley went ahead as a federal appeals court was being blocked by the president.
record could unearth fresh with a request to the Bush judge. National Archives. And they say the up-to-1
concerns to sway senators’ library for documents relat- Schumer said if Kavana- As staff secretary, Kavana- million pages of records
opinions and upend voting. ed to his work for the White ugh sees it that way, “why ugh was the person who they do expect to release
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R- House. The request seeks shouldn’t the American controlled the flow of docu- will be the largest number
Iowa, the chairman of documents from Kava- people see what instructed ments to and from the pres- of documents produced
the Judiciary Committee naugh’s time in the White him?” ident, including ensuring in connection with a Su-
tasked with holding hear- House Counsel’s office but For his part, Schumer on relevant people weighed preme Court nomination.q

Former New York Assembly Speaker gets 7 years in prison

By LARRY NEUMEISTER in 2015. She noted that the meant that “corruption
Associated Press conviction of the 74-year- cases have touched either
NEW YORK (AP) — Sheldon old Democrat came in a directly or indirectly all of
Silver, a former New York year in which Joseph Per- the infamous ‘three men
Assembly speaker who coco, a once-close aide in a room.’” “This has to
brokered legislative deals to Democratic Gov. An- stop,” Caproni said. “New
for two decades before drew Cuomo, and former York has to get its act to-
criminal charges abruptly New York State Senate gether.” Before announc-
ended his career, was leader Dean Skelos, a Re- ing the prison term and a
sentenced Friday to seven publican, also were con- $1.75 million fine, Caproni
years in prison by a judge victed at corruption trials. said Silver seemed to have
who said political corrup- Until 2015, Cuomo, Silver aged more than would
tion in the state must end. and Skelos made up what be normal in the last three
The punishment, an- was known in Albany as years while his case has
nounced by U.S. District “three men in a room” proceeded.
Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who every year negotiat- She said “further reflec-
amounts to five fewer ed the state budget and tion” led her to the con-
Former New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, enter, years in prison than she important legislation be- clusion that the original
leaves federal court in New York after his sentencing, Friday, gave him after he was ini- hind closed doors. sentence was longer than
July 27, 2018.
Associated Press tially convicted in the case The judge said the trials necessary.q