Dems kill GOP-stacked 'probe'

Well whad'ya know-- the Dems refused to roll over for the Tom DeLay/Bill Frist/Dennis Hastert approved probe into Katrina, which would be dominated by hand-picked Republicans and deny Democrats the power to subpoena documents from the government. Good for them.

Democratic opposition has left Republicans little maneuvering room for mounting a credible probe. With the joint investigation apparently off the table, Republicans can only hope that Democrats will participate in each chamber's separate investigation. It was far from clear today that Democrats would do that.

In a letter sent to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Frist offered that instead of a joint House-Senate probe, the Senate would conduct its own investigation and "coordinate" its efforts with the House "so as to minimize the burdens placed on those who are coming to Washington, D.C. from the gulf coast region."

Frist also said he was willing to name the members of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee as members of the Senate's special panel to probe the disaster. But a spokeswoman for Reid said the majority leader had rejected the proposal.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) was having no more luck persuading House Democrats to participate in that chamber's probe.