A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Friday, May 21, 1999

With Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster (R) headed for almost certain reelection, former Ku Klux Klan leader and frequent political candidate David Duke refused on Thursday to testify before a federal grand jury. The panel is scrutinizing Duke's tax filings about money he made from selling a political mailing list to Foster for $150,000.

"Now you know why he got shot down (in Vietnam). He can't even find his way to the elevator." – Roberta McCain, mother of GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, scolding her son after he turned down a wrong hall at the National Press Club. (The Arizona Republic, May 21)

According to state lawmakers, that's a steep price for a mailing list, which has some people thinking that Foster got something more for his money – like a promise that Duke wouldn't run against him in 1995. Duke said he didn't testify because the federal prosecutor on the case is a friend of Foster's Democratic opponent in the gubernatorial race, Rep. William Jefferson.

• Foster, Duke Link Probed (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, May 21)
• Legislators Say Inquiry on Duke Won't Affect Work (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, May 21)
• Politicians Say $150,000 Steep for List (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, May 21)

Internet Round-Up: Bush Sues, Wyo. Residents Weigh in on Programs
The presidential campaign of Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) has asked the Federal Election Commission to force the owner of Web address gwbush.com to include information about who built the site and to register as a political action committee. Recently, the Bush campaign made a preemptive strike against potential anti-Bush sites by buying domain names such as georgebushsucks.com. The real campaign site is www.georgewbush.com.
• Bush Campaign Asks Government to Go After Critical Web Site (The New York Times, May 21, registration required)
• Search for the real owner of Web sites (Internic Software)

Wyoming lawmakers don't mind cutting programs to meet the anticipated $127-million budget deficit for 2001-2002. They just want state residents to tell them exactly which ones to cut, so the state is preparing a Web site that will allow people to vote for their most and least favorite programs.
• Web Site to Collect Opinions on Keeping, Scrapping Programs (Casper Star-Tribune, May 21)

A South Carolina Supreme Court Justice apologized Thursday to the Legislative Black Caucus for sending around an e-mail about a boy named Leroy who couldn't properly use the English language. Some lawmakers thought the e-mail was racist.
• 'Ashamed' Justice Apologizes for E-mail (The State, Columbia, S.C., May 21)

Bush, Gore Talk School Violence
The two leading presidential candidates are on top of the school violence issue. Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) announced Thursday a $420,000 federal grant to Southwest Texas State University to study and promote school safety. Vice President Al Gore (D) will be in Dover, N.H., on Saturday to hold a forum on school violence.
• Bush Announces Grant for Center to Offer Training on School Safety (The Dallas Morning News, May 21)
• Gore’s Dover School Violence Forum Even More Timely (Foster's Daily Democrat, May 21)

Wexler Won't Run for Senate in Florida
Florida Democrat Rep. Robert Wexler, who gained national exposure as an ardent defender of President Clinton during the House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearings, said he would not run for the Senate seat being opened by Republican Connie Mack's retirement. Wexler said he would support Democratic state Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson.
• Wexler Drops Out, Logan May Be in Race for U.S. Senate Seat (Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., May 19)

States Continue Push for School Vouchers
The national push for statewide school voucher systems has flourished after Gov. Jeb Bush (R) helped push through the nation's first such program a few weeks ago in Florida. New Hampshire passed a limited program that would help students from poor families and in the state's worst schools to take classes at another public or private school.
• N.H. House Passes Charter School, Limited School Voucher Bills (Foster's Daily Democrat, May 21)

A voucher plan appears to be dead in the Louisiana state legislature. Meanwhile, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens (R) said he wants to keep fighting for vouchers, which were shot down in a statewide vote in 1992.
• Owens Vows to Revive Voter-Spurned Voucher Idea (The Denver Post, May 19)
• Voucher Plan Stalls 'In Deep Jeopardy' (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, May 18)

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