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Washington briefs

A look at what's happening.

By TIMES WIRES
Published November 29, 2006

LOS ANGELES

Judge rules against Bush terrorism order

A federal judge struck down President Bush's authority to designate groups as terrorists, saying his post-Sept. 11 executive order was unconstitutional and vague, according to a ruling released Tuesday.

The Humanitarian Law Project had challenged Bush's order, which blocked all the assets of groups or individuals he named as "specially designated global terrorists" after the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The case centered on two groups, the Liberation Tigers, which seeks a separate homeland for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, and Partiya Karkeran Kurdistan, a political organization representing the interests of Kurds in Turkey.

U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins enjoined the government from blocking the assets of the two groups.

WASHINGTON

Survey: IRS receives lots of calls for help

About 41 percent of taxpayer households contacted the Internal Revenue Service at least once over the past two years seeking help, according to a survey commissioned by the IRS Oversight Board.

The most common reasons for contacting the IRS: seeking help with tax law questions or returns, requesting forms and resolving disputes or errors.

CINCINNATI

Democrat concedes in Ohio House race

Three weeks after Election Day, Democrat Victoria Wulsin conceded to Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt on Tuesday.

Wulsin conceded just before Clermont County reported final unofficial results that showed Schmidt with a total of 120,112 votes, or 50.5 percent, to 117,595 votes, or 49.5 percent, for Wulsin.

Times wires

[Last modified November 29, 2006, 05:39:29]