GOP Restricts Protests Over Sanchez Probe

Fed up with the barrage of motions that House Democrats have introduced calling for an immediate end of the investigation into last fall’s election of Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove), Republicans imposed a rare rule Thursday preventing anyone but the leader of each party from introducing such resolutions until Congress adjourns for the year.

With their main protest tactic thwarted, Sanchez supporters tried other strategies for disruption, including calling for motions to adjourn Thursday’s meeting. They said they have no qualms about delaying the session, which GOP leaders hope to conclude by week’s end.

“We, as Democrats, are willing to stay here, if need be, until this is finished,” said Rep. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) “There is nothing that says we have to adjourn this weekend. There is nothing that says we have to adjourn next week. We should do what’s right, not what’s calendar-convenient.”

Rumors abounded on Capitol Hill about a proposed deal in which Republicans would drop the challenge to Sanchez’s election, filed last year by the GOP incumbent she defeated, Robert K. Dornan, if Democrats would back a broader inquiry into voter fraud in California or nationwide, or perhaps legislation making it more difficult to register to vote.

Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) said he’d be amenable to such ideas. “Now, if [Republicans] want to keep at this, let’s do it in a broader setting. Let’s move it to an investigation generally about illegal voting of all kinds, and let’s try to determine if there are problems around the country,” he said. “But Loretta’s case should be dismissed.”

There was no olive branch apparent from the GOP, however. Aides to House Oversight Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield) said Wednesday that they would not shut down the inquiry until they had finished analyzing a list of 1,000 votes by suspected noncitizens in Sanchez’s district.

Meanwhile, congressional discussion on the broader issue of voter fraud began with a hearing on several new bills that would tighten registration procedures.

“We should not have noncitizens voting in American elections, and we do have noncitizens voting across the land,” said Rep. Steve Horn (R-Long Beach). Rep. Vic Fazio (D-West Sacramento), criticized the bills as “bringing a fire hose to put out a birthday candle,” and worried that they would discourage voter participation--”just the opposite of what we want.’

Elliot Zaret of States News Service contributed to this story.