Correction

In the article "Roberts Sworn In", we incorrectly reported that Chief Justice John G. Roberts would begin work on Monday, October 3. While Monday is the day on which the Supreme Court's new term begins, Roberts immediately started his job on Friday. The Republic Newswire regrets the error.

Roberts Sworn In

Roberts Takes Oath

WASHINGTON -- Just hours after being confirmed 78-22 in the Senate, judge John G. Roberts was sworn in at a White House ceremony.

Roberts was sworn in by acting chief justice John Paul Stevens, who at 85 is the court's oldest justice, in the East Room of the White House. He will begin work on Monday.

Bloomberg and ABC News were used as sources.

John Roberts Confirmed

Bush's Supreme Court Nominee to become Chief Justice

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted 78-22 to confirm federal judge John G. Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Roberts received affirmative votes from all 55 Republicans, 22 Democrats, and lone Independent James Jeffords.

The Democrats have promised to stage a much tougher fight if Bush's second nominee, who will replace the retiring Sandra Day O'Connor, is a conservative ideologue.

Roberts, 50, will be the youngest chief justice in 200 years.

MSN Money and C-SPAN were used as sources.

Roy Blunt to Replace Tom DeLay

Blunt Chosen Unanimously for Position

WASHINGTON -- House majority whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) was unanimously elected to the position of House majority leader to replace Rep. Tom DeLay
(R-TX), who is now under indictment on charges of criminal conspiracy.

Blunt will remain House majority leader for the rest of the year. He will share responsibilities with David Dreier (R-CA).

ABC News was used as a source.

DeLay Indicted, Steps Down

House Republican Leadership in Chaos

WASHINGTON -- House majority leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has been indicted on one count of criminal conspiracy relating to an alleged violation of a state campaign finance law.

Under Republican rules, House members under indictment are barred from holding a leadership position. As a result of this, DeLay had to step down. House Republicans are currently without a majority leader.

DeLay has been indicted for accepting $25,000 in donations from Texans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee (TRMPAC), a committee he founded, which illegally took $190,000 in corporate donations. Texas law prohibits the use of corporate money to finance campaigns.

DeLay fiercely denied the charges and accused the prosecutor, Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, of partisan bias.

DeLay could face up to two years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines if convicted.

CNN, MSN Money, and ABC News were used as sources.

BREAKING NEWS: Rita Now a Category 5

WIND SPEEDS REACH 165 MPH

CARIBBEAN SEA -- Only three Category 5 hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since the Saffir-Simpson scale was first used. The hurricane that devastated Galveston in 1900 is believed to have been a Category 4.

Galveston and its surrounding areas are under mandatory evacuation.

Of particular concern is the South Texas Project nuclear power plant, which is located only twelve miles inland. Officials are currently shutting down the facility, which provides electricity to over 1 million consumers.

Nearby are two reactor containment buildings which are able to withstand the impact of a Category 5 storm or a direct hit from a Boeing 767.

In New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin delayed the planned return of residents to the city and ordered those who had returned to evacuate - again.

Officials have said that the levees, already weakened by Katrina, will not be able to withstand another hurricane.

CNN, The Weather Channel, and Weatherbug were used as sources.

Kevin Zeese Announces Run for Senate Seat

Campaign will Focus on People from All Parties

WASHINGTON -- Kevin Zeese of Maryland will be running next year to replace retiring Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes.

Zeese, an independent, will work to include people from all parts of the political spectrum in his support base. Zeese was a spokesman for Ralph Nader's presidential campaign last year.

WTOP was used as a source.

House International Relations Committee Rejects Resolutions

H. Res. 375; H. Res. 408; and H. Res. 419 Fail to Make it Out of Committee

WASHINGTON (Republic Newswire) -- The House International Relations Committee voted to report adversely the three resolutions of inquiry.

However, similar resolutions will brought before other committees in the days ahead.

C-SPAN and Voice of America were used as sources.

Congressional Hearings Set for Today

House International Relations Committee to Debate and Vote on Resolution of Inquiry

WASHINGTON (Republic Newswire) -- If passed, the resolution of inquiry, submitted by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), would require the White House to turn over all documents related to communications between the US and British governments from January 1 to October 16, 2002.

The resolution was proposed after the Downing Street Memo was released and revealed that prewar intelligence had been "fixed" around invading Iraq.

A resolution of inquiry can be a preclude to impeachment.

The Oakland Tribune was used as a source.

Downing Street Memo Update

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) Announces that he will Bring the Issue to the Table when Congress Reconvenes

WASHINGTON (Republic Newswire) -- Conyers, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee, has stated that he and other House members will continue to push for an investigation when Congressional recess ends.

In addition, on July 21 Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) filed a Resolution of Inquiry against the Bush Administration. As a priveleged resolution, the entire House may vote on it if no action is taken by September 16. Most recently, Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) has signed the resolution, along with 56 Democrats and Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

The blog of John Conyers, Jr. (conyersblog.us) and http://www.house.gov/lee/roi/roi.htm were used as sources.