Did Bolton Lie to Congress?

After a series of flip-flops Thursday, the State Department finally confirmed that UN Ambassador nominee John Bolton may have lied to Congress.

Sen Joe Biden had fired off a letter to the Secretary of State asking if Mr Bolton had been questioned in the criminal investigation into the White House leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity.

If he has in fact been questioned, he failed to tell the Senate committee handling his confirmation about it.

Now the State Department has admitted -- after first denying -- that Mr Bolton was questioned in another investigation that he failed to tell the Senate about. That one was an Inspector General investigation into whether intelligence was suppressed to further a political argument for the Iraq War.

Mr Bolton was required to tell the Senate if he'd been questioned in any investigations in the past five years. He told them, in his paper work, that he had not been questioned in any probes.

State Department spokesmen first said he'd not been questioned, then later said Mr Bolton had forgotten he'd been questioned. And finally said he'd change his paperwork.

President Bush may make a recess appointment if the Senate fails to confirm Bolton today -- before breaking for their summer recess. But some Republican Senators -- notably Sen John Thune (R-SD) -- are now asking President Bush to withdraw Mr Bolton's nomination. (WashPost)