The controversial nominee for US attorney general, Mr John Ashcroft, yesterday pledged to prosecute vigorously those obstructing access to abortion clinics and promised not to apply an anti-abortion "litmus test" to judicial nominations.
But his assurances are unlikely to satisfy many liberal Democrats at the Senate confirmation hearings, Senator Diane Feinstein warning that it "is very difficult for a leopard to change his spots".
The hearings, which opened on Tuesday and continued yesterday and today, are focusing on how Mr Ashcroft's rightwing views have affected his ability to do his job. Senators have emphasised that Mr Ashcroft's views alone would not be sufficient to disqualify him.
Senator Edward Kennedy led the initial attack when the hearing opened on Tuesday. Mr Ashcroft, who had pledged to enforce vigorously all the laws, whether he agreed with them or not, was forced on to the defensive by Mr Kennedy's claim that he "used every kind of device" to obstruct the voluntary desegregation of the St Louis schools system as governor and attorney general of Missouri.
Mr Ashcroft insisted that his position had not been of opposition to desegregation, but had been an attempt to control the costs to the state of the process.
He reiterated yesterday to the liberal Republican senator, Mr Arlen Specter, that he clearly understood the difference between roles of enactor and enforcer of legislation.
"I understand that being Attorney General means enforcing the laws as they are written, not enforcing my personal preferences," he said.
Responding to Senator Specter's questions about how he would exercise prosecutorial discretion, particularly in regard to violent protests outside abortion clinics, Mr Ashcroft insisted that "any constitutionally protected right is an important right. . . It should be the responsibility of the Attorney General to be able to respond aggressively."
There was no constitutional right to coerce, he said.
On judicial appointments, Mr Ashcroft, said President-elect George Bush had made clear there would be no abortion litmus test. "He stated that clearly and it will be my position," he said.
He told Ms Feinstein he would uphold the ban on automatic weapons when current legislation lapses.
Senate hearings began yesterday on the less controversial nominations of Gen Colin Powell for Secretary of State, Governor Christine Todd Whitman for the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr Mel Martinez for Housing and Urban Development, and Mr Paul O'Neill for the Treasury.
An upbeat and relaxed Gen Powell spoke of Mr Bush's idea of "distinctly American internationalism." A commitment to freedom and democracy meant that the US "would have an interest in every place on earth".
He pledged to return to the Senate for increased financial support for the work of the State Department. He welcomed the development of "a more integrated, more robust Europe" and said the US would support the EU's moves to improve its defence capabilities as long as it strengthened and did not weaken.
Gen Powell backed proposals for a new National Missile Defence system, promising to talk to the Russians and Chinese to persuade them that such a system would not be directed at them but at rogue states like Iraq.
"It will be a difficult discussion," he admitted, "but we must move forward on it as we are committed to missile defence".
Meanwhile, the Washington Post has reported that Gen Powell has amassed a personal wealth put at $27 million since he retired from the military seven years ago, largely on the basis of speaking fees.
These brought in $6.7 million last year alone as Mr Powell toured colleges and businesses, usually for a fee of $59,500 a time. He earned $6 million from his 1995 autobiography.
The biggest fees were paid to him by financial service firms Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, American Express and companies like Coca-Cola, which each paid him over $100,000.
Mr Powell also has personal options on 240,000 shares in America Online, of which he was a director from 1998 to last Thursday, at $14.37 a share. The shares are now trading at $46.70.
The figures emerged as part of the routine disclosure and Mr Powell will now divest himself of potentially conflicting assets.
