Washington, D.C.

President pushes for lawsuit limits

President Bush on Wednesday opened a new drive for caps on medical malpractice awards, contending the limits would lower health care costs. Opponents said such ceilings would merely shield doctors and others who provide poor health care.

“I believe the voters made their position clear on Election Day on medical liability reform,” Bush said, citing his re-election as evidence of support for a proposal that has passed the House but failed in the Senate.

Bush made his case in Madison County, Ill., across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The county has been called the “judicial hellhole” of the nation by the American Tort Reform Assn. last year because of a reputation for huge awards won by plaintiffs.

Washington, D.C.

Democrat seeks Bush re-election challenge

The senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee protested President Bush’s re-election Wednesday with a new report claiming serious election irregularities and “significant disenfranchisement” of voters in Ohio.

The report by Rep. John Conyers of Michigan says Congress should challenge the Electoral College vote when it is tallied today in the House of Representatives and investigate all claims of voter problems in Ohio.

“We have found numerous, serious election irregularities in the Ohio presidential election,” the report said. “There are ample grounds for challenging the electors from the state of Ohio.”

In a letter sent to supporters Wednesday, Kerry said he would not take part in a formal protest of the Ohio electors because his legal team had “found no evidence that would change the outcome of the election.”

Washington, D.C.

California lawmaker gets appropriations post

Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., was selected Wednesday by top Republicans as chairman of the influential House Appropriations Committee after a strenuous vetting process that required all three candidates to defend their fund-raising abilities, voting records and commitment to spending restraint.

The 13-term Californian was selected over Reps. Ralph Regula of Ohio and Harold Rogers of Kentucky during a closed meeting of the 28-member Republican Steering Committee, made up of GOP leaders, key committee chairmen and regional party representatives. The choice must be ratified today at a meeting of all House Republicans, a move considered a formality.

Lewis, 70, said his top priority would be to get spending bills passed “on time and under budget,” perhaps as early as this spring.

San Francisco

Atheist refiles ‘under God’ lawsuit

An atheist who sued because he did not want his young daughter exposed to the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance has filed another lawsuit, this time with other parents.

Michael Newdow won his case more than two years ago before a federal appeals court, which said it was an unconstitutional blending of church and state for public school students to pledge to God.

In June, however, the Supreme Court dismissed the case, saying Newdow could not lawfully sue because he did not have custody of his elementary school-aged daughter and because the girl’s mother objected to the lawsuit.

In the latest challenge filed Monday in Sacramento federal court, eight co-plaintiffs have joined the suit, and all are custodial parents or the children themselves, Newdow said.

North Carolina

Marine declared deserter again

The Marine charged with desertion after he claimed to have been kidnapped last year in Iraq was again declared a deserter Wednesday after he failed to return from a holiday leave.

Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun was required to return to Camp Lejeune by noon Tuesday, but he did not report for duty in a motor pool, said Maj. Matt Morgan, a spokesman for the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

Hassoun was still missing at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Morgan said.

Hassoun’s command “officially declared him a deserter and issued authorization for civil authorities to apprehend Hassoun and return him to military control,” Morgan said.

Hassoun was with his family in West Jordan, Utah, for about a week before he left Dec. 28, family spokesman Tarek Nosseir said. He said there was no indication of any trouble.