Group to watch White House

Benjamin Grove

Monday, Dec. 13, 2004 | 10:59 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., today was expected to announce a new Democratic investigative team to act as a watchdog of the White House.

Congress has a traditional oversight role in tracking the actions of the executive branch.

But Republicans control both chambers and have not been aggressive in challenging the Bush administration, Reid and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., were to say at a press conference today.

Dorgan is chairman of the policy committee of the Senate Democrats.

"This is not about partisanship, it's not about 'gotcha' politics," Dorgan said in a Sun interview today. "This is about a constitutional responsibility of oversight that is not being met. We have one-party rule."

Reid was unavailable for comment earlier today.

The new team would be the first of its kind, Dorgan said. The concept developed out of conversations among Democratic leaders, including Dorgan and Reid.

The first investigation of the new team likely will focus on government contracts in Iraq. Bush critics have noted that businesses with close ties to the White House -- including Halliburton Co., once run by Vice President Dick Cheney and now the largest contractor in Iraq -- have won lucrative contracts.

Halliburton is a good example of a company that has escaped significant congressional oversight, Dorgan said. For example, the contractor has claimed to feed far more soldiers every day than it actually does, Dorgan said.

The new Democratic oversight team would not be Senate-sanctioned and would lack the subpoena powers held by official congressional oversight panels to compel testimony. But it likely will attract whistleblowers, Dorgan said.

"There are plenty of people who have seen what is going on inside these agencies and know what has gone on with some of these contracts," Dorgan said.

The team could have about 12 senators, Dorgan said.

Reid officially will become Senate Democratic leader when the new Congress convenes next month. Reid has said he is looking for innovative ways to deliver a Democratic message to voters and to challenge Bush and congressional Republican leaders.