Senators Reject WH Torture Deal

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A White House “compromise” on detainee treatment was rejected by a trio of senior lawmakers today, as Republicans continue to fight among themselves over an issue that was meant to boost their sagging poll numbers in an election year.

The White House continues to push for a new law to allow painful and humiliating treatment of terror detainees, as well as new powers to prosecute them outside of established judicial processes.

Sens. John Warner (R-VA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John McCain (R-AZ) back a bill that sets stricter limits on detainee treatment and prosecution.

After the three men turned down the White House’s compromise bill, an unnamed Senate aide calclulated the odds of both sides reaching a compromise at “50-50,” CNN reported.

The group is expected to send a counter-proposal to the White House soon. Of course, they have something the White House doesn’t: time. None of the three lawmakers face re-election battles, and control of the Senate is unlikely to be swayed by the outcome of this particular fight, so they could take their time in negotiating with the White House during these last two weeks of the session.

The administration, on the other hand, is eager to use detainee treatment as a wedge issue for the midterm House elections, which could determine not only control of the House but also the political future of the administration.

Stay tuned. . .

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