IMPEACH BUSH

WASHINGTON, 23 (UPI) -- Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter earmarked $100,000 for a group, headed by former political associates, that opposes teaching evolution in schools.

The money is set aside for the Louisiana Family Forum in the labor, health and education financing bill for fiscal 2008, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Sunday. The group is being paid "to develop a plan to promote better science education."

The forum is slated to use the funds to write a report on ways to improve science education in Louisiana, but critics say support for the group -- which once produced a "battle plan" to fight the idea of evolution -- is really support for religious teaching in public schools.

Two of the group's leaders were also paid as consultants to Vitter's 2005 Senate campaign, the newspaper said, and the group has been one of the senator's strongest proponents in Louisiana, supporting him even when he admitted recently he was the customer of a call-girl service.

Vitter defended the move, saying it will help teachers offer students a variety of views on "controversial topics" like life science and global warming.

The bill is still pending in the Senate.

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