NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • All Blacks
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Senate scrutiny for the President's man

31 Jan, 2001 07:55 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee, on a largely party line 10-8 vote, yesterday sent the nomination of John Ashcroft for Attorney-General to the full Senate for almost certain confirmation.

All nine Republicans on the panel, along with one of its nine Democrats, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, backed President George W. Bush's selection of the former US senator from Missouri as the nation's top lawman.

The full Senate, working into the night, immediately began debate on the nomination that is expected to be brought up for final approval as early as Friday. The Senate is made up of 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats.

"I'm hoping that ... we can find a way to bring this debate to a conclusion and have a vote on John Ashcroft," said Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott.

"He will be confirmed. I'm hoping it will be by a substantial number with every Republican and a number of Democrats," Lott said.

Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, had threatened to try to mount a filibuster against Ashcroft, but yesterday he said he decided against such a procedural delay.

Democratic aides said Kennedy had concluded he would not be able to muster the needed support of 41 of the chamber's 100 members to maintain a filibuster, and to prevent a confirmation vote.

Feingold said that like many of his Democratic colleagues he was concerned about Ashcroft's record against civil rights, abortion rights and gun control.

But he said he took Ashcroft at his word after Ashcroft had vowed at his confirmation hearings that he would enforce all the nation's laws, even the ones he had disagreed with, including abortion rights, gay rights and gun control.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, charged that Ashcroft had been subjected to unwarranted attacks and deserved to be confirmed as the nation's top lawman.

He cited the former senator as saying, "Some things are more important than politics, and I believe doing what's right is the most important thing we can do."

Hatch then added, "I only hope that my colleagues will heed these words as they consider their vote."

At the White House, Bush said the Senate needed to move on Ashcroft, whom it had subjected to a four-day confirmation hearing earlier this month and then submitted to him hundreds of written questions that he had finished last week.

"I hope, in the spirit of bipartisanship, there will be no further delays," Bush said.

"I do believe he's going to be confirmed."

The nomination of Ashcroft, an ardent conservative and a hero to the religious right, is being seen as the first major test of strength on Capitol Hill for Bush, who has promised to be "a uniter, not a divider."

While Bush is expected to win, the fight over Ashcroft, who earlier served as Missouri's Governor and Attorney-General, has brought together more than 200 mostly liberal special interest groups that are opposed to the President and his nominee.

People for the American Way, a liberal activist group, ran advertisements in opposition to Ashcroft yesterday in 11 major newspapers across the nation.

Democratic critics of Ashcroft said they want a full debate, even if they could not stop the nominee, who would be the 15th and final cabinet-level Bush appointee to be confirmed by the Senate.

A Democratic aide said more than 35 Senate Democrats might vote against Ashcroft to send a signal to Bush that a like-minded, conservative Supreme Court nominee would also face a tough confirmation fight.

- REUTERS

Herald Online feature: Claiming the White House

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

'Regime of corruption': Divisive election to choose judges by vote

02 Jun 07:13 AM
World

'The defence will call Erin Patterson': Alleged poisoner to testify

02 Jun 06:34 AM
World

Why Poland's presidential result is a blow to its pro-EU centrist govt

02 Jun 06:16 AM

‘No regrets’ for Rotorua Retiree

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
One person with critical injuries after Hamilton crash involving car and pedestrian
New Zealand

One person with critical injuries after Hamilton crash involving car and pedestrian

02 Jun 07:59 AM
'Regime of corruption': Divisive election to choose judges by vote
World

'Regime of corruption': Divisive election to choose judges by vote

02 Jun 07:13 AM
Injury blow: Warriors' Barnett sidelined for rest of NRL season
Warriors

Injury blow: Warriors' Barnett sidelined for rest of NRL season

02 Jun 07:02 AM
'We were all feeling it': Emotional tribute to slain teen at league tournament
Rotorua Daily Post

'We were all feeling it': Emotional tribute to slain teen at league tournament

02 Jun 06:59 AM
'Greatest show on earth': Dazzling aurora display may return tonight
New Zealand

'Greatest show on earth': Dazzling aurora display may return tonight

02 Jun 06:56 AM

Latest from World

'Regime of corruption': Divisive election to choose judges by vote

'Regime of corruption': Divisive election to choose judges by vote

02 Jun 07:13 AM

Voter turnout was about 13% of 100 million eligible voters.

'The defence will call Erin Patterson': Alleged poisoner to testify

'The defence will call Erin Patterson': Alleged poisoner to testify

02 Jun 06:34 AM
Why Poland's presidential result is a blow to its pro-EU centrist govt

Why Poland's presidential result is a blow to its pro-EU centrist govt

02 Jun 06:16 AM
ITUC: Workers' rights 'in free fall' worldwide

ITUC: Workers' rights 'in free fall' worldwide

02 Jun 04:02 AM
Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design
sponsored

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search