Lott Threatens Retaliation if Democrats Stall

WASHINGTON —  Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) says he’s prepared to play hardball with Democrats who disrupt Congress to force Republicans to close election-fraud probes or to gain approval of campaign finance legislation.

“I don’t react well to threats or intimidation,” Lott said Saturday on CNN’s “Evans & Novak.”

“We have important work to do,” Lott said. “But if the Democrats want to try to walk out on hearings and to obstruct and try to intimidate, that won’t work. I have tools at my disposal too, which I can use. And I will if I have to.”

Democrats last week forced a two-hour delay in Senate business and have threatened to disrupt the House by repeatedly forcing time-consuming roll-call votes.

The delay, which came when Democrats enforced a usually waived Senate rule, was a protest of the continuing Senate Rules Committee investigation of vote fraud allegations in Sen. Mary Landrieu’s November victory over Republican Woody Jenkins in Louisiana. She beat Jenkins by 5,788 votes out of 1.8 million cast.

A similar dispute is simmering in the House, where Democratic leader Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri is protesting the continuing Republican investigation of the 984-vote victory in California of Democrat Loretta Sanchez over then-Rep. Robert K. Dornan, a Republican.

Democrats have also threatened filibusters to gain support for campaign finance reform legislation sponsored by Sens. John McCain, (R-Ariz.) and Russell D. Feingold (D-Wis.).

Lott told the Washington Post in an article published Friday that he was considering severe countermeasures for these Democratic tactics, including delaying President Clinton’s request for “fast-track” trade negotiating authority.

“If they play these games, I have many options at my disposal,” Lott said. He said he could also halt action on Clinton nominations for judicial and other posts, keep the Senate in session into the night to make up for daytime delays and hold up an Amtrak reauthorization bill popular among Democrats.

“For every day that this type of shenanigans are played, ‘fast track’ will be delayed one day beyond when it would have originally been considered,” Lott told the Post.

The fast-track measure, which the White House said it will submit next week, would allow the extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement to Chile and give Clinton expedited authority to negotiate free-trade pacts with other countries.

In the Republican radio address Saturday, Lott said business that must be addressed before Congress adjourns for the year includes examining the regulatory function of the Food and Drug Administration and strengthening parental rights in the workplace.

“We think employers and employees should have the right to negotiate the flexibility that lets mothers and fathers attend a Little League game or piano recital, or make that important visit to the doctor,” he said.