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Dean's language

Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Saturday that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay "ought to go back to Houston, where he can serve his jail sentence."

Mr. Dean's remark, in a speech to Massachusetts Democrats at their party convention, drew an immediate rebuke from Rep. Barney Frank, Massachusetts Democrat and one of Mr. DeLay's harshest critics, the Boston Globe reports.

"That's just wrong," Mr. Frank said in an interview on the convention floor. "I think Howard Dean was out of line talking about DeLay. The man has not been indicted. I don't like him, I disagree with some of what he does, but I don't think you, in a political speech, talk about a man as a criminal or his jail sentence."

Mr. DeLay faces accusations that he may have violated House rules by taking foreign trips paid for by lobbyists. In a separate case, a Texas grand jury indicted three fundraisers with ties to Mr. DeLay on accusations of campaign-finance irregularities.

A new offer

With a showdown looming, a small group of Senate Democrats floated a compromise yesterday on President Bush's stalled judicial nominees, offering to clear five for confirmation while scuttling three.

A previous offer by Democrats had included approval for four nominees.

Under the proposal, circulated in writing, Republicans would have to pledge no change through next year in the Senate's rules that allow filibusters against judicial nominees. For their part, Democrats would commit not to block votes on Mr. Bush's Supreme Court or appeals court nominees during that period, except in extreme circumstances.