Hinckley On Ice

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Nov. 19) -- Federal prosecutors in Washington say John W. Hinckley Jr. has withdrawn his request to be allowed monthly leaves from St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where he was committed after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1981 shooting of President Ronald Reagan. Prosecutors gave no reason for the change, and Hinckley's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment. Hinckley was to have begun three days of hearing on Wednesday on his petition to be granted monthly 12-hour leaves from the psychiatric hospital. In 1981, Hinckley shot President Reagan, a Washington, D.C., police officer, a Secret Service agent and White House Press Secretary James Brady.

A Big Tab For Texas

HOUSTON (AllPolitics, Nov. 19) -- After losing a redistricting fight, the state of Texas is liable for $1.4 million in legal fees incurred by Republican voters who challenged gerrymandered congressional districts. The same three-judge panel that redrew the boundaries of 13 Texas districts ruled this week the state must pick up the plaintiffs' legal costs. The state had asked that the federal government share the legal bills, arguing that Texas legislators drew the original boundaries under pressure from the U.S. Justice Department. But the judges said the state "eagerly exceeded" any federal requirements to protect interests of minority voters. In three of the redrawn districts, runoff elections are set for Dec. 10.

The Rise Of Cybervoters

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AllPolitics, Nov. 19) -- A new survey of California voters suggests that about 1 million voters used their computers to get election information during the campaign season. The survey of 800 people showed that 6 percent of the electorate, or about 936,000 voters, visited Web sites for election information. About one-third of Californians under 65 subscribe to an online service. The survey was released by Goddard-Clausen/First Tuesday, a California public affairs firm.

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