John King: FBI and missing McVeigh evidence, other political news

John King

CNN Moderator: Good morning John King. Glad to have you back with us for another Political Week Preview chat.

John King: hello everyone ... good morning

CNN Moderator: President Bush says he's renewing his pledge to combat gun violence. What is he doing towards that end?

John King: The president will announce a national program today that is closely modeled on a Virginia program called Project Exile. The centerpiece is guaranteed tough sentencing for those convicted of crimes involving guns - especially in cases where the offender has a prior record. There is also some money for new programs to provide trigger locks and other safety devices to parents and other gun owners who request them.

CNN Moderator: Have the missing McVeigh documents caused concern in the administration that this lapse is indicative of broader management or

disorganization problems within the FBI?

John King: The short answer is yes. Most believe it was an inadvertent accident. But the fact that such an oversight could occur in any case and especially such a

high profile case is very troubling. White House officials say there is an ongoing investigation and that this issue - streamlined management, better coordination and record keeping, will be a major challenge as the president looks for a new FBI director.

MESSAGE BOARD McVeigh Execution Bush Presidency   PREVIOUS TRANSCRIPTS: China, tax cuts and other political news The Bush presidential style

Question from chat room: Mr. King: Given that the FBI was already under scrutiny for errors, why would they not have been more careful regarding the McVeigh evidence?

John King: Well that is a fair question. The agency has been under criticism for some time. So you could argue they should be more careful. Critics would say it is more proof of systemic problems with the management and discipline of the agency.

Question from chat room: How important are the documents being released to McVeigh's defense?

John King: Well we need to wait and see what case his lawyers or lawyers for co-defendant Terry Nichols make of them. The government says there is nothing that would directly bear on the evidence or convictions. The big question is whether the defense can show that access to the documents might have helped the defense case: maybe a lead on a witness or piece of evidence that was not involved in the original trial. The government says there is nothing of the sort in these documents, but the defense is still reviewing them and mulling its options.

Question from chat room: Mr. King: Will the McVeigh documents become public?

John King: Well if there are additional court proceedings as a result of this discovery, then some or all of the documents could be admitted as evidence on those proceedings. And news media as well as anyone else can request them through the Freedom of Information Act. Some might be exempted because of privacy and other laws.

Question from chat room: John Ashcroft has told Americans, quite firmly, that he will not delay the execution even if asked to do so by the defense team. Is this something that he may decide to rethink?

John King: The attorney general is firm. But one thing that would change the equation would be if the defense went to court and a judge decided to delay the

execution -- either to just grant more time to review the documents, or to act on any motion the defense might file. Still a hypothetical because the defense has not decided what to do just yet.

Question from chat room: John, Bush is being really blasted for the lack of funds for rebuilding new schools when some kids go to school without proper

toilets. How is Bush going to answer this and still push funds for testing that 30 states already have?

John King: This is a debate that carries back to the Clinton administration. We won't know the final answer to this year's version for some time -- even though the budget outline is adopted Congress will take months to pass the individual appropriations bills and Democrats and some Republicans say they want more for school construction and repair. But on a more general note, this is a philosophical debate: about 7 percent of the money spent on schools nationally comes from the federal government. And it is the Bush team's view that with some exceptions, infrastructure, if you will, is a local responsibility and that those decisions - and that spending - is more a state and local school board issue.

CNN Moderator: With the violence in the Mideast continuing to broil, is there any evidence the Bush administration is considering a more active role in the Mideast

peace process?

John King: Well Secretary Powell today once again -- in a CNN interview -- condemned the escalation of violence. There is an active administration role, mostly behind the scenes. But Secretary Powell today meets with one of Yasir Arafat's key deputies ... the highest level contact yet between the administration and the Palestinian Authority.

Question from chat room: Morning John...your team win this weekend?

John King: The men's league team had a bye week. But the CNN co-ed team won two games --- thanks for asking.

CNN Moderator: What other political stories are in the spotlight this week?

John King: Most of the focus will be on the rollout of the president's energy plan. There also are negotiations in the Senate over the details of the tax cut plan, and

continuing negotiations with China over the EP-3 surveillance plane. And the Federal Reserve meets Tuesday and its decisions re: interest rates often find their way into the political debate.

CNN Moderator: Thanks for joining us today, John King. Look forward to another Q&A with you next Monday. Same time, same place...

John King: My pleasure .. thanks again .. and have a good week.

Check out the CNN Chat calendar
Post your opinion on our message boards

Bush renewing pledge to combat gun violence
Ashcroft: No more delays for McVeigh