Senate poison scare over, office buildings to reopen

Politics
Senate poison scare over, office buildings to reopen
Thursday, February 5, 2004

The Senate will start to reopen its three office buildings today. The Russell building will open at noon, followed by the Hart building on Friday morning.

The Dirksen building, where a dangerous poison called ricin was found in the offices of Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), will remain closed until Monday. Authorities are still investigating the origin of the toxin but said there is no health threat posed to the public.

Today's confirmation hearing on Bill Myers to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is set to go forward at 10 a.m. in the House Rayburn Building, Room 2141. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Myers' chief supporter in the Senate, will chair the hearing.

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) have come out against the nomination. They say Myers, a former industry lobbyist, holds dangerous views on tribal sovereignty. They cite his record as the Department of Interior's top lawyer in which he lifted protections for sacred sites in California and advanced a view of diminished trust management before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Get the Story:
Groups Fight Nominee for 9th Circuit (The Los Angeles Times 2/5)
pwlat
Tension Eases On Hill as Staff Returns Briefly (The Washington Post 2/5)
FBI Told of 2003 Ricin Letter After 6 Days (The Washington Post 2/5)
Senate Plans Reopenings as Search Is Expanded (The New York Times 2/5)
pwnyt

Relevant Documents:
Environmental/Tribal Coalition Letter | NCAI Resolution | Environmental Group's Letter | Holland & Hart Biography

Indianz.Com Profile:
Industry insider named to Interior (March 30, 2001)

From the Archive:
Myers reversing sacred site opinion (10/25)
Bush nominee has no 'agenda' on Clinton decisions (6/21)