WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Senate Democrats backed away Tuesday from their threat to block the nomination of Alberto Gonzales to become attorney general of the United States.
Senate Democratic aides said Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., decided against the move, which clears the way for the outgoing White House counsel's likely approval by the Senate Thursday.
Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., reportedly pushed Democrats to examine the move Tuesday, but even with at least 31 Democrats expected to vote against the nomination, Democratic leaders were short of the votes needed to sustain a filibuster of Gonzales' nomination.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called Democratic opposition to his nomination an "obstruct and smear" campaign.
