A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Tuesday, March 16, 1999

A federal grand jury is investigating Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt in connection with his department's rejection of a Wisconsin Indian casino. Independent Counsel Carol Elder Bruce last January began looking into charges that the decision was motivated by White House pressure to satisfy competing tribes that had made large contributions to the Democratic National Committee.

"I'm going to run the first full-scale campaign in American history on the Internet because I want you involved every stop of the way." – Malcolm S. "Steve" Forbes, announcing his GOP presidential candidacy. (Reuters, March 16) .

• Babbitt in Grand Jury Probe (The Arizona Republic, March 16)
• Key Stories: The Babbitt Probe (washingtonpost.com)

Nevada's Miller Won't Make Senate Run
Democrat Bob Miller, who stepped down as governor of Nevada in January, said Monday that he would not run to replace retiring Sen. Richard Bryan (D). Former congressman John Ensign (R), who lost a Senate bid in 1998, is now the race's only high-profile candidate.
• High-Ranking Democrats Can't Induce Miller to Run for Senate (The Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 16)

Party Leaders Expect Whitman Senate Bid
Republican Party leaders said they expect New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R) to announce her candidacy for the Senate seat being left vacant by Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who is retiring when his term expires in 2001. An announcement could come after she returns to New Jersey from South America on March 29.
• Whitman Senate Candidacy Expected (The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J., March 15)

Texas GOP Leader Wants Hutchison to Stay in Senate
Texas Republican Chairman Susan Weddington said Monday that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) could best serve her party and the state by staying in the Senate rather than running for governor in 2002.
• GOP Official Suggests Hutchison Keep Her Seat (The Dallas Morning News, March 16)

N.C. Governor: Daughtry Enters Race
Leo Daughtry, the minority leader in the N.C. state House, announced his candidacy for the 2000 Republican gubernatorial nomination Monday.
• Daughtry Launches Bid for Governor (The News & Observer, March 16)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com