Republican Terror Strategy Faces Dissension in Ranks (Update2)

By James Rowley and William Roberts

Sept. 7 (Bloomberg) -- A Republican strategy to push anti- terrorism legislation before November's congressional elections and depict Democrats as weak on national security has been complicated by dissension within the majority party's ranks.

The cracks in Republican unity surfaced just days after House and Senate leaders announced plans to seek votes authorizing President George W. Bush's terrorist surveillance program and reconstituting war-crimes tribunals to try suspected al-Qaeda members.

``I wouldn't expect Republicans to be monolithic on the subject,'' said Senator Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican and chairman of the Judiciary Committee. ``I would expect them to have differences.''

Specter is sponsoring legislation, backed by Bush, to authorize a secret court to review the administration surveillance program and decide whether it is legal. Bush wouldn't be required to stop the surveillance if the court objects. Specter, who has opposed administration initiatives on occasion, said he remains confident the Senate will pass the surveillance measure after the Judiciary Committee today postponed action on the bill.

Republican Senators John McCain of Arizona, John Warner of Virginia and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they want to rewrite parts of Bush's proposal on war-crimes tribunals. Three other Republicans asked for more Senate hearings on the Specter measure.

Bipartisan Agreement

``It would be good for the country if we reached agreement,'' Graham told reporters. The three Republicans said they are seeking a bipartisan compromise on the military tribunal legislation.

McCain bristled when asked about Republican Leader Bill Frist's statement he might bypass the Armed Services Committee and bring Bush's bill directly to the Senate floor for debate. ``Whatever Frist says,'' McCain told reporters.

Bush also faces opposition to his war-crimes legislation from the military's top lawyers.

Today, they urged the House Armed Services Committee to reject provisions allowing coerced statements from being used as evidence and barring defendants access to classified information that would be used against them at trial.

The strategy to portray Democrats as weak on security would be weakened if some Republicans side with the minority party on the most contentious issues.

``It's more complicated when Republicans are asking good questions,'' said Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat.

Republican Control

Republicans control the Senate 55-45. The breakdown in the House is 231 Republicans to 201 Democrats with two vacancies and one independent. Public opinion polls suggest Democrats may be poised to gain enough House seats to win a majority in that chamber and narrow the Republican's Senate majority.

Senate Republicans today were forced to postpone a Foreign Relations Committee vote making permanent John Bolton's appointment as United Nations ambassador because Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island had questions about the nominee.

The postponement spares Chafee from having to vote on the nomination before a Sept. 12 Republican primary in which he faces a strong challenge for his party's nomination.

Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, a Democrat, said the Republican defections on security issues come down to ``every rat for himself.'' They are ``jumping ship pretty quickly'' to ``do what they can to protect themselves politically,'' he said.

Questioning Bush's Plan

Republicans John Sununu of New Hampshire, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Larry Craig of Idaho joined Democrats in questioning legislation to authorize Bush's program of wiretapping without court warrants. The plan would apply to international long- distance calls between al-Qaeda operatives in and outside the U.S.

``Additional information is necessary before the Senate can responsibly consider legislation'' that would ``significantly expand the surveillance authority of the executive branch,'' the lawmakers wrote to Specter. The letter was also signed by Durbin and two other Democrats, Ken Salazar of Colorado and Russell Feingold of Wisconsin.

Sununu, Murkowski and Craig previously helped Democrats force a two-month delay in Senate action on extending the USA Patriot Act, which authorizes surveillance of suspected spies and terrorists with warrants from a secret court.

The three lawmakers supported the Patriot Act's enactment after they negotiated changes with the Bush administration.

A Muddied Picture

Opposition from Republicans ``muddies the water,'' conceded Texas Republican John Cornyn, a Senate ally of Bush who supports the surveillance legislation and the administration's plan to restart military trials of detained terrorist suspects that were halted by a Supreme Court ruling in June.

``It's not a big deal,'' Cornyn said, because there are ``very few cases where there is a complete lockstep by political parties.''

Cornyn noted the Patriot Act wasn't killed by the delays, which, he said, permitted ``everybody's input.''

Specter said he may ask Frist to bypass the Judiciary Committee and call up the surveillance legislation for floor debate.

To contact the reporter on this story: James Rowley in Washington at jarowley@bloomberg.net .

Last Updated: September 7, 2006 17:56 EDT

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