WASHINGTON

BUSH WARNS DEMOCRATS ABOUT CRITICIZING IRAQ POLICY

President Bush, in full campaign mode, warned Democratic critics of his Iraq policy yesterday to watch what they say or risk giving “comfort to our adversaries” and suffering at the ballot box in November. Democrats said Bush should take his own advice.

There are 10 months before congressional elections in which polls indicate the president’s Republican Party could lose its dominance of Capitol Hill. But Mr. Bush is wasting no time engaging the battle. In his first speech of 2006 on the road, last week in Chicago, he aggressively challenged Democrats on the economy.

Yesterday’s equally sharp message represented an attempt by the president to neutralize Democrats’ ability to use Iraq – where violence is surging in the wake of December parliamentary elections and messy negotiations to form a new coalition government – as an election year cudgel against Republicans.

Mr. Bush acknowledged deep differences over Iraq among casualty-weary Americans, just 39% of whom approve of his handling of the war, according to a recent AP-Ipsos survey. Without specifically mentioning Democrats, the president urged campaigning politicians to “conduct this debate responsibly.”

– Associated Press

DeLAY TRIED, FAILED TO SHUT DOWN CASINO ABRAMOFF WANTED CLOSED

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay tried to pressure the Bush administration into shutting down an Indian-owned casino that lobbyist Jack Abramoff wanted closed, shortly after a tribal client of Abramoff’s donated to a DeLay political action committee, the Associated Press has learned.

The Texas Republican demanded closure of the casino, owned by the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas, in a December 11, 2001 letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Associated Press obtained the letter from a source who did not want to be identified because of an ongoing federal investigation of Abramoff and members of Congress.

“We feel that the Department of Justice needs to step in and investigate the inappropriate and illegal actions by the tribe, its financial backers, if any, and the casino equipment vendors,” said the letter, which was also signed by Texas Republican Reps. Pete Sessions, John Culberson, and Kevin Brady.

– Associated Press

SNOW SAYS NEW BUDGET WILL TIGHTEN GOVERNMENT SPENDING

President Bush’s new budget will call for sacrifices as a way to meet his goal of cutting the budget deficit in half by 2009, Treasury Secretary Snow said yesterday.

Mr. Snow said every government agency would be asked to help reduce the growth of government spending in the budget proposal that Mr. Bush will submit to Congress in early February.

The spending blueprint for the budget year that begins October 1 will contain “good, tight spending controls” that will “call for sacrifices, no doubt about it,” Mr. Snow said in an interview with a small group of reporters. The new budget is being written to accomplish Mr. Bush’s 2004 campaign goal of cutting the deficit in half by 2009, Mr. Snow said.

– Associated Press

BISHOP CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF SEX-ABUSE TIME LIMITS

Breaking ranks with his peers, a Roman Catholic bishop called yesterday for state legislatures to temporarily remove the time limits that have prevented many victims of sex abuse from suing the church.

In making that extraordinary appeal, Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit also unburdened himself of a secret. As a teenager 60 years ago, he said, he was “inappropriately touched” by a priest.

Bishop Gumbleton, 75, is the first American bishop to disclose that he was a victim of clergy sexual abuse. He is also the first to endorse proposals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and other states to follow California’s example and open a one year window for victims to file lawsuits over sexual abuse, no matter how long ago it took place.

– The Washington Post

IRS FREEZES THOUSANDS OF REFUNDS WITHOUT TELLING TAXPAYERS

The Internal Revenue Service freezes tens of thousands of tax refunds it deems questionable without telling people they’re suspected of fraud, the nation’s taxpayer advocate said yesterday.

Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson detailed the program, called the Questionable Refund Program, in her annual list of the worst problems facing taxpayers. Her office, which helps sort out disputes with the IRS, has seen a mounting number of people seeking help to claim frozen refunds.

“It is a central tenet of American law that the government must notify an accused person of the offense it suspects he committed and must give the accused person an opportunity to present exculpatory evidence to show his innocence,” Mr. Olson said in her report.

– Associated Press

IN TALK WITH OLMERT, RICE RENEWS SUPPORT FOR A PALESTINIAN STATE

Secretary of State Rice renewed the Bush administration’s support for establishment of a Palestinian state yesterday in a talk with the Israeli leader standing in for the ailing Prime Minister Sharon.

“That has been our policy and continues to be our policy,” a State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, said after Ms. Rice’s telephone conversation with acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

With Mr. Sharon incapacitated and probably unable to resume his post, Ms. Rice’s conversation with his fill-in and possible successor sought to make sure there is no backtracking on the statehood issue. Mr. McCormack said Ms. Rice underscored to Mr. Olmert that “the United States supports the two-state vision of two states living side by side in peace and security.”

– Associated Press