Doubts voiced on Mukasey nomination

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Democrats Friday voiced resistance to the nomination of retired federal Judge Michael B. Mukasey as the next U.S. attorney general.

Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined the chorus indicating Mukasey's responses to questions about interrogation techniques were unsatisfactory.

During confirmation hearings last week, Mukasey skirted questions about whether such techniques as waterboarding are legal, saying he didn't know the details of how al-Qaida suspects were questioned.

Mukasey, who had been tabbed to replace Alberto Gonzales, who fell afoul of the firings of a number of U.S. attorneys, had appeared to be a shoo-in.

“A number of issues need clarification,” Specter told The New York Times. “I’m troubled by the depth of his assertion of executive powers.” Specter also said he had reservations about Mukasey's views on warrantless wiretapping.

“I don’t know that I would confirm a guy who is going to say that he’d advise the president that he has the constitutional authority to ignore a deal he has made with Congress on a specific provision,” Specter told the Times.

Mukasey has yet to submit a written statement sought by Democrats repudiating waterboarding, an interrogation technique dating from the Spanish Inquisition and involving the pouring of water over a suspect's face, with mouth and nose covered by a piece of cloth to create the feeling of drowning.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he was troubled by Mukasey's testimony. Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said his vote on the nomination would depend on Mukasey's waterboarding response.