WASHINGTON

ALITO SPLITS WITH CONSERVATIVES IN MISSOURI DEATH PENALTY CASE

New Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito split with the court’s conservatives last night, refusing to let Missouri execute a death-row inmate contesting lethal injection. Justice Alito sided with inmate Michael Taylor, who had won a stay from an appeals court earlier in the evening. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas supported lifting the stay, but Justice Alito joined the remaining five members in turning down Missouri’s request to allow a midnight execution. Earlier in the day, Justice Alito was sworn in for a second time in a White House ceremony.

– Associated Press

HOUSE CLEARS BUDGET CUT BILL FOR BUSH’S DESK

House Republicans cleaned their plate of a leftover from their fall agenda yesterday as they passed a major budget cut bill for President Bush’s signature. They said it cemented the GOP’s status as the party of smaller, more efficient government. Democrats had an agenda of their own: to portray the bill as evidence of the undue influence of Washington lobbyists like Jack Abramoff. They said powerful corporate interests such as insurance companies and drug manufacturers had their fingerprints all over the measure, which was drafted behind closed doors. The bill passed the House by a 216-214 vote yesterday and represents Congress’s first attempt in eight years to slow the growth of benefit programs like Medicaid and student loan subsidies.

– Associated Press

HOUSE TO LIMIT ACCESS FOR FORMER MEMBERS WORKING AS LOBBYISTS

The House started its legislative year with a mostly symbolic step yesterday toward removing the taint of influence-peddling scandals, voting to ban former colleagues from lobbying in the House chamber. A rules change that passed 379-50 bars from the House floor or the members’ gym ex-representatives who now work as lobbyists. The restriction also applies to former members’ spouses who are lobbyists.

– Associated Press

ADMINISTRATION EXTENDS EMERGENCY PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE

Anticipating fresh problems with the Medicare prescription drug plan, the Bush administration is telling private plans they need to provide an additional 60-day supply of medicine for emergency cases. The move will give beneficiaries more time to find alternative treatments when their private plan won’t cover a prescription.

– Associated Press

PROSECUTOR SEEKS RECORDS ON DELAY TRIP WITH ABRAMOFF IN 2000

A European trip that a former House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay, took with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff is the new focus of an investigation in Texas, court documents filed yesterday in Austin, Texas, show. Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle wants DeLay’s wife and several who joined him to turn over travel itineraries and other documents.

– Associated Press

NEW ENGLAND

MASS. GOV CANDIDATE’S RUNNING MATE QUITS RACE

BOSTON – A day after gubernatorial candidate Attorney General Tom Reilly introduced her as his running mate, a legislator abandoned the campaign yesterday amid revelations of tax and loan delinquency, a top aide to Mr. Reilly said. Democratic state Rep. Marie St. Fleur reportedly owes the IRS more than $12,000 dating to 2003 and failed to pay $40,000 in student loans.

– Associated Press

MIDWEST

JUDGE PARTIALLY CLOSES COURT FOR HAMAS HEARING

CHICAGO – The public and press won’t be allowed in the courtroom when Israeli agents testify about a man accused of laundering money for the terrorist group Hamas. The judge granted permission for the agents to testify using aliases, but she denied a government request that the agents be allowed to wear “light disguises.” U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve rejected requests by the Chicago Tribune and others to keep the hearings open.

– Associated Press