Inside Politics

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.

Officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Democrats involved in the compromise would vote to end any filibuster blocking a final vote on Richard Griffin, David McKeague and Susan Neilson, all named to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Democrats alsowould clear the way for final votes on William H. Pryor Jr. for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and Janice Rogers Brown for the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Three other nominations would continue to be blocked under the offer: those of Henry Saad to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, Priscilla Owen to the 5th Circuit and William G. Myers III to the 9th Circuit.

Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat, outlined the suggested compromise for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Sunday night at a dinner at the Tennessee Republican’s home, the Associated Press reports.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, said yesterdaythatcompromise efforts had produced little progress and accused Mr. Frist of “trying to satisfy the radical right.” A Frist spokeswoman said her boss “is going to satisfy the principle of the up-or-down vote, and it’s unfortunate that Senator Reid continues with bitter, partisan rhetoric as opposed to coming to the table to work this out.”

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