Gregg breaks with Bush on 9/11 commission

By Max Heuer

WASHINGTON, Sept 25, 2002--New Hampshire's two Republican Senators have ended up on different sides on the question of whether an independent commission is needed to investigate the events that led up to the Sept. 11 attacks.

A measure sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) was approved, 90-8, on Tuesday as an amendment to the Homeland Security bill.

President Bush, who initially had opposed the idea, supported it last week after Senate Democrats agreed to exclude the White House from the investigations.

Sen. Bob Smith, recently defeated in his re-election bid, supported the amendment, but the White House endorsement wasn't enough for Sen. Judd Gregg, who served as President Bush's s debate practice partner when Bush prepared to face Al Gore during the 2000 presidential election.

"I feel very strongly that in this instance we know most of what happened," Gregg said Thursday. "We know there were huge failures in the intelligence community, we know that people that were out there who were threatening us were not being properly tracked.

"I think there are a lot better places to put the money," Gregg said, estimating that the commission will cost $10 million to $15 million.

Smith, noting in a press release that he supported the president's request for the commission, said, "As we work to establish a Department of Homeland Security, the more we can learn about the facts and circumstances that led up to the horrific events, the better we can protect our country from future terrorist activity."

Published in The Manchester Union Leader, in New Hampshire.