Yahoo News
Mansnake, study up on your politcs a little more.
If there is a tie vote, it would be broken by Republican Dick Cheney (news - web sites), set to be sworn in on Jan. 20 as vice president.
``Regrettably, the radical left is trumping up false claims of racism,'' said Beverly LaHaye of Concerned Women for America.
In addition, a few crime victims joined Sen. Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican, at a Capitol Hill news conference to salute Ashcroft for having long sought a constitutional amendment to provide rights to crime victims.
Among those set to testify are Missouri Supreme Court Justice Ronnie White, an African-American denied a spot on the federal bench largely because of Ashcroft.
Ashcroft helped lead the opposition to Senate confirmation of White, branding the jurist soft on crime.
Ashcroft was particularly upset by White's opposition to the death sentence for a
mass murderer who White argued was mentally disturbed and inadequately represented at trial.
Senate Republicans have said if White does testify, they may counter by calling the relatives of some of those killed by the
mass murderer.