Harman, Hoekstra agree on CIA tapes probe
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Two leading U.S. House members, a Democrat and a Republican, insist Congress will probe the CIA's destruction of tapes showing interrogation of terror suspects.
Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., said the House Intelligence Committee will issue subpoenas -- over objections by the Central Intelligence Agency and the Justice Department -- as part of its investigation into the videotapes matter.
"And once these witnesses appear in front of the committee, then I think we'll have to make the decision as to whether we're going to provide them with immunity or not," said Hoekstra, the panel's ranking Republican. "But our investigation should move forward.
"They need -- there's a constitutional responsibility for them to keep Congress informed, and they have not, and we need to hold them accountable."
Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., who chairs the Intelligence Committee, agreed the congressional inquiry can occur at the same time as the Justice Department's investigation, a parallel track common in other cases.
"We're an independent branch of government," she said. "And, oh by the way, part of this is that Congress, specifically I, warned them not to destroy the videotapes. I sent them a letter in 2003, and they did it anyway. And they didn't tell us.
"It smells like the coverup of the coverup."
Women's apparel holiday sales slow
NEW YORK, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Boring fashions and tight budgets have led to a decline in retail sales of women's clothing, boding ill for the retail industry, reports said Sunday.
So far this holiday season, women have spent about 6 percent less on clothing for themselves, MasterCard Advisors -- a division of the credit card company that tracks spending -- reported.
That trend, which has affected sales from $20 sweaters to $300 handbags, is an expected omen for the fashion industry, which has long relied on women's apparel sales for a profitable holiday season, The New York Times reported.
The fact that women seem to be tightening their purse strings could have an impact on all retail sales, because women are responsible for a large majority of retail spending, the newspaper said.
Men's clothing purchases over the first 20 days of the holiday shopping season rose 4.5 percent from the same period last year, however, and spending on luxury items is up more than 10 percent, while electronics sales have risen 5.8 percent.
Women also still appear to be spending more online: Web purchases surged by almost a third, the report said.
Greenspan: Edwards plan would hurt economy
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Sunday Democratic presidential contender John Edwards' economic proposals would hurt the U.S. middle class.
Greenspan, speaking on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," said Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, is correct that middle class economic growth is stagnating "but his remedies will make it worse, not better."
Edwards has advocated a freeze on mortgage foreclosures and a rescue fund to help families out of their mortgage dilemmas. But Greenspan said it's important to help those people without affecting mortgage rates or affecting market structures.
"Cash (from the government) is available and we should use that in as large amounts as is necessary to solve the problems of the stress ...," Greenspan said. "... It's far less damaging to the economy to create a short-term fiscal problem, which we would, than to try to fix the prices of homes or interest rates. If you do that, it will drag this process out indefinitely."
Poll: Women support Clinton
NEW YORK, Dec. 16 (UPI) -- Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani's personal life may be costing the former New York mayor support among women, a new poll indicates.
The national poll of women voters reveals women are discouraged by Giuliani's then-extramarital affair with his now-wife Judith Nathan and his messy divorce, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.
The poll, conducted by the newspaper, showed that in a head-to-head match-up with Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, the Democratic front-runner, she would have the support of 45 percent of women voters, compared to 30 percent for Giuliani.
Respondents also said they have misgivings about Clinton's personal life, the newspaper said.
Forty percent of respondents said they think Clinton stayed with her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, after his affair with Monica Lewinsky for political advantage. Just 31 percent said they believe she genuinely forgave him.
The Daily News poll also found women generally have not bought into the central themes of the two campaigns: that Giuliani would be best able to keep America safe from terrorists, and that Clinton's election to the White House would be a milestone for women.
