WASHINGTON

GUARD WANTS TO OFFER $15K BONUSES TO ATTRACT SOLDIERS

Looking for new ways to bolster its thinning ranks, the Army National Guard is seeking legal authority to offer $15,000 bonuses to active-duty soldiers willing to join the Guard – up from $50 now. Lieutenant General Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told reporters yesterday that the Guard is 15,000 soldiers below its normal strength of 350,000, and he expects further short-term declines despite recent gains from tripling re-enlistment bonuses for Guardsmen deployed abroad.

If the Guard fails to return to its normal troop level of 350,000 by the end of the budget year on September 30, it will be the first time that has happened since 1989, the three-star general said. He added that he believes he has a formula for restoring the Guard’s strength. Heavily stressed by longer-than-anticipated combat and support duties in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, the Guard recently increased first-time enlistment bonuses and added 1,400 recruiters.

In explaining his interest in getting congressional approval for $15,000 bonuses to entice active-duty military members to join the Guard, General Blum said he believes he could get 8,000 new Guardsmen this way. He said the existing $50 bonus carries little weight in today’s economy.

– Associated Press

DEAN WINS KEY SUPPORT FOR PARTY POST

Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor whose appeal with minorities was questioned during his presidential race, won support yesterday from several key black Democratic National Committee members for his bid to be DNC chairman.

Dr. Dean, one of seven candidates for the position, won the support of Yvonne Atkinson Gates, chair of the DNC’s black caucus, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, and Minyon Moore, a longtime DNC member and former aide to President Clinton.

Yesterday, Dr. Dean also announced the backing of Bob Farmer, former finance chairman for John Kerry’s presidential campaign, and Joe Cari, a former finance chairmen for the DNC. Dr. Dean also is getting the backing of former national party chairs David Wilhelm and Steve Grossman, who was a key supporter in his presidential race.

– Associated Press

COLUMNIST PAID TO PUSH BUSH MARRIAGE INITIATIVE

In her syndicated column in 2002, Maggie Gallagher repeatedly promoted President Bush’s push for a $300 million proposal encouraging marriage as a tool to strengthen families. According to a report on the Washington Post’s Web site last night, however, Ms. Gallagher did not allude to the fact that the Department of Health and Human Services was paying her $21,500 to back Mr. Bush’s initiative.

“Did I violate journalistic ethics by not disclosing it?” Ms. Gallagher asked the Post yesterday. “I don’t know. You tell me.” She added that she would have “been happy to tell anyone who called me” about the contract, but, “frankly, it never occurred to me” to disclose it.

Later in the day, Ms. Gallagher used her column to apologize to her readers for failing to disclose the government contract.

– Staff Reporter of the Sun

NORTHEAST

FBI SAYS REPORTED BOSTON TERROR THREAT WAS A FALSE ALARM

The FBI said yesterday that the possible terrorist plot reported against Boston by a tipster last week was a false alarm. A law enforcement official in Mexico said that a suspected smuggler made the story up to get back at people who failed to pay him.

“There were in fact no terrorist plans or activity under way,” an FBI statement said. “Because the criminal investigation is ongoing, no further details can be provided at this time.” Jose Ernesto Beltran Quinones, one of 16 people sought for questioning about the alleged terror plot, was detained over the weekend in Mexicali, a Mexican border town near San Diego. His son, also named Jose, was detained Monday.

According to a law enforcement official there, the two men were involved in smuggling Chinese migrants across the border and told investigators that smugglers had squabbled over a deal, and that one had anonymously called in the false tip to U.S. authorities as revenge. The source, who asked not to be named, did not say which smuggler had made the call. The FBI statement did not say whether Quinones and his son had provided the information that allowed the threat to be ruled out, but the bureau did thank Mexican law enforcement agencies for their help.

– Associated Press