A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1998

While lawmakers are altering or eliminating affirmative action programs from New Jersey to California, a legislative committee in Florida gave its preliminary approval to making affirmative action a part of the state's constitution.

By a 23-8 vote, lawmakers approved the proposed amendment, which would allow public institutions to make efforts to "remedy the present effects of past discrimination." If the committee approves the measure by three-fifths at a final vote in May, Floridians would vote on the proposed amendment in November.

"I didn't know what to say. I was just the intern." – Nick Trammell, recounting work he did in Pete Peterson's surveillance of Colorado Gov. Roy Romer. (Rocky Mountain News, Feb. 10)

Affirmative Action Debate Renewed (Miami Herald, Feb. 10)

Belive It or Not: An Intern Appears in Colorado Story
For anyone who thought political espionage was limited to nosey White House co-workers, the expanding story surrounding a secret video taping of Colorado Gov. Roy Romer indicates otherwise.

On Monday, a former 20-year-old intern came forward with new details about the private investigator who unveiled a video tape showing the Democratic governor and his former deputy chief of staff locked in an extended extramarital kiss. Nicholas Trammell, who worked for investigator Pete Peterson from January to October 1996, said Peterson was also trailing Denver Mayor Wellington Webb at the time. Trammell said a private detecitive from Washington, D.C., was also following Romer at the same time as Peterson's investigation. While he refused to reveal who paid to have the video tape made, Trammell did say the client paid five figures for it.

Peterson, who followed Romer to the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and on to Washington, D.C., called Trammell "a very irritating person."
Two Detective Agencies Tailed Romer (Rocky Mountain News, Feb. 10)
Detective Also Had Webb Under Surveilance, Intern Says (Rocky Mountain News, Feb. 10)

Rebuke of Mich. 'Race Bait' May Be Vehicle to National Arena
Michigan state Republican chairwoman Betsy DeVos wrote in a letter to Macomb County GOP candidate Kirby Holmes Jr. that tactics agitating race relations are not welcome in her party. That letter, coupled with the moderating role she played in last month's internal party battle over partial birth abortion, may be an indication she is interested in the national party chairmanship.
GOP Leader Reprimands Candidate for Agitating Race Relations (Detroit Free Press, Feb. 10)

Web Chat Makes Congressional Debut
Arkansas Congressman Asa Hutchinson is the first U.S. lawmaker to incorporate an unmoderated discussion board into his official Web site. He has vowed not to edit unruly participants.
Arkansas Congressman Takes a Free-Speech Risk Probe (The New York Times Cyber Times Extra, Feb. 10; Registration required)
Rep. Asa Hutchinson's online discussion.

One Less Self-Made Millionaire in Campaign '98
Retired publisher Bruce James decided that he and his $35 million personal fortune will not be pursuing the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. The Nevada race was expected to be an expensive. John Ensign said he would save $1 million by not facing James in a primary. Upon dropping the race, James and his wife each wrote $1,000 checks to Ensign's campaign.
James Withdraws From U.S. Senate Race (Las Vegas Review Journal, Feb. 10)