US: In an atmosphere of growing acrimony on Capitol Hill, Democrats have forced a delay in the vote to confirm John Bolton as US ambassador to the United Nations and stepped up their attacks on Republican House majority leader Tom DeLay over ethics issues.
By postponing until next week a vote on Mr Bolton - who had expected confirmation by the Senate foreign relations committee today - Democrats have bought time to win over a wavering Republican, Senator Chafee of Rhode Island.
After hearing allegations that Mr Bolton harassed intelligence officials who contradicted what he wanted to say publicly about weapons of mass destruction, Mr Chafee still refused yesterday to say how he would vote. One Republican defector on the committee, which has a 10-8 Republican majority, would stymie the nomination.
Earlier, the committee heard testimony from a senior intelligence official, Carl Ford, that as a top state department official Mr Bolton was a "serial abuser" of lower-level officials who challenged his assessments of the weapons potential of Cuba and other nations.
The ranking Democrat on the committee, Senator Chris Dodd, has requested an additional hearing to question three more intelligence officials. Critics of Mr Ford have dug up the fact that he contributed money to Democrats, including John Kerry, as well as Republicans, despite his statement to the committee that he was a "loyal, conservative Republican to the core".
The Senate health committee has, meanwhile, postponed a vote on another Bush nominee, Lester Crawford, to head the food and drug administration. The committee requested an investigation by the FDA of unspecified allegations made by an FDA employee.
In the House, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi accused Republicans of "greed" which would bring about their downfall as ethics charges continued to swirl around Mr DeLay. He has been fighting off charges of unethical behaviour including trips paid by lobbyists and large payments to his wife and daughter for political work.
The Texan Republican, who claims that he is the victim of a conspiracy by the "liberal media", still has the public support of most Republicans.
"Tom DeLay did nothing wrong," said Congressman Todd Tiahrt after the weekly party caucus. "What this is, is a political smear campaign made by an organisation, a political party that is devoid of ideas."
However, Mr DeLay has had to endure sniping from his own side. Former Republican speaker Newt Gingrich said that such a defence would not work as "DeLay's problem isn't with the Democrats, DeLay's problem is with the country". The majority leader yesterday accused Democrats of shutting down the House ethics committee to prevent him clearing his name and to protect their own members.
The Democrats have refused to work the committee since the Republican-controlled house earlier this year changed the rules for ethics investigations to make it more difficult to bring charges against a representative.
At a news conference on Wednesday Mr DeLay apologised for his "inartful" rhetoric after the death of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman whose feeding tube was detached by judge's order. He had said that judges who refused to reopen the case would be held accountable for their actions, a remark from which President George Bush and Republican senate leader Bill Frist quickly distanced themselves.
Looming over all this is the threat by Senate leader Harry Reid to bring the business of the upper chamber to a halt if Republicans use their majority to abolish the filibusters that Democrats have used to block several of President Bush's judicial nominees.